QUEENS — A 41-year-old Ridgewood man has been arrested for repeatedly stabbing a livery cab driver and leaving him bloodied on the street before stealing his car last week, police said.
Authorities said that Kenneth Suden, 41, was arrested after he walked into Queens General Hospital Monday, where he was recognized by a guard who notified hospital police.
Just before the attack, he allegedly robbed a grocery store, forking over a note that said "they're going to kill me if I don't pay them back."
It was unclear why Suden went to the hospital, police said.
Suden was expected to be arraigned Tuesday on charges including attempted murder, robbery, assault, grand larceny and criminal possession of a weapon, after slashing Fernando Crespin-Santos, 30, in the chest, arms and hands during the he Sept. 25 attack, according to police and the Queens District Attorney’s office.
Crespin-Santos was dispatched to pick up Suden at Hemlock Street and Jamaica Avenue in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, about 1 a.m., police said. Suden asked to be taken to 68-16 60th St. in Ridgewood, Queens, not far from his home, police said.
But as they approached 60-19 70th Ave., Suden allegedly placed a knife to the driver's throat and demanded money. He then began slashing the driver, authorities said.
Police said Suden left Crespin-Santos bleeding on the street and then sped off in his livery cab. Crespin-Santos was later found by a good Samaritan and taken to Elmhurst Hospital in critical but stable condition, authorities said.
According to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, before attacking Crespin-Santos, Suden robbed a grocery on Putnam Avenue in Ridgewood.
Sometime between 6:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Suden stepped behind the counter, where he whipped out a small knife and said: “They’re going to kill me if I don’t pay them back,” according to Brown, who noted that in this case Suden was charged with robbery.
Suden then allegedly removed money from the cash register and fled.
Police said that Suden had two prior arrests in the 1990s, both for criminal possession of marijuana.
The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers has criticized the NYPD for not doing enough in the case, saying a traffic enforcement agent who found Crespin's abandoned, blood-stained vehicle after Suden left it in front of a bus stop slapped a ticket on the windshield instead of noticing the blood and calling 911.
The NYPD confirmed they wrote the ticket, but declined to discuss the incident further.
If convicted in both cases, Suden faces up to 50 years in prison.
