OCEAN CITY -- One local woman is in the hospital and another is behind bars after a stabbing incident in an Ocean City residential neighborhood early Thursday morning.

Around 3:50 a.m. on Thursday, Ocean City Police and paramedics responded to a residence on Robin Drive for a reported stabbing. OCPD officers arrived on the scene and located a victim, who had obvious injuries to her neck and shoulders. During the investigation, police learned the victim, whose name is not being released, had been in a verbal argument with the suspect, later identified as Sharon Lee Ward, 47, of Ocean City.

During the argument and ensuing struggle, Ward allegedly attacked the victim with a kitchen knife, stabbing her multiple times in the neck. The victim was able to flee the unit, and with the assistance of neighbors, was able to contact police. The victim was treated by Ocean City paramedics for stab wounds to the neck and was later transported to PRCM for treatment. Ward was treated at the scene for minor injuries and was transported to AGH where she was later released to the OCPD.

The investigation revealed the victim and Ward were living together and that there was a Maryland Court Final Domestic Protective Order on file prohibiting Ward from having any contact with the victim. OCPD officers recovered the weapon believed to have been used in the attack at the crime scene.

Ward has been charged with first- and second-degree assault, use of a weapon with intent to injure, reckless endangerment and violation of a protective order.