Two defendants involved in an incident in Lehighton in which a knife was alleged placed against the throat of a man opted not to have preliminary hearings this week and waived the charges to Carbon County Court.

Richard Michael Roberts, 36, of Easton, and Elizabeth Tansley, 25, of North First St., Lehighton, had hearings scheduled before District Judge Edward Lewis of Jim Thorpe on Wednesday.In an agreement worked out with Roberts, he will plead guilty to simple assault with other charges against him expected to be dropped.Roberts had been charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, terroristic threats, and make repairs, sell, etc. an offensive weapon.He remains free on $50,000 unsecured bail.Police said the victim in the case agreed to the lesser charges, and that alcohol was a factor in the incident.Tansley was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, public drunkenness, institutional vandalism, and violating the borough ordinance which prohibits consumption or possession of alcohol in public.The charges against Roberts and Tansley were filed by patrolman Michael J. Svetik of the Lehighton Police Department as a result of an incident on Jan. 13 at 10:04 p.m. outside of Alfie's Restaurant, Lehighton.Police said that during the incident, Roberts allegedly pulled a knife on another individual.Svetik wrote in the affidavit that he determined Roberts had placed the knife to the throat of the victim, Ryan Rickley, after pushing him to the ground."The victim then was able to escape and he took off running to his apartment, which was a short distance from where the incident took place," says the affidavit.Tansley was reportedly with Roberts when the incident occurred. Her bail is listed at 10 percent of $2,000 ($200 posted with the full amount applied if she doesn't show for court appearances).