Two Northeast motorists were hospitalized following separate, simultaneous and apparently unrelated roadside stabbings on May 8.
One case occurred on the 4000 block of Frankford Ave. at about 6 p.m. A 77-year-old man was behind the wheel of a 1989 Lincoln Town Car and stopped at a traffic light when a masked man opened the driver’s door and attacked him, police said.
The driver grabbed the attacker’s shirt and punched him in the face, forcing the attacker to flee. The driver then noticed he had been cut in the stomach and drove himself to Aria Health-Torresdale, where he was treated and released.
Although the motive may have been robbery, nothing was stolen, police said.
Police have not released the victim’s name. The attacker was described as white and 6 feet 1 inch tall. He wore a black sweat shirt, a black hood, a black mask and jeans. There is no description of the weapon used.
Around the same time, an apparent road rage incident resulted in another stabbing at Roosevelt Boulevard and Strahle Street.
A 38-year-old man told police he was sitting in his car at a stop sign when an unknown man began banging on the car’s driver’s side window. The motorist exited the car and confronted the man.
During an ensuing quarrel, the other man pulled a knife and stabbed the motorist multiple times in the neck, torso and arms, police said. The attacker then fled in an unknown direction.
The victim called police via mobile telephone and drove himself to Nazareth Hospital’s emergency room. He was admitted in critical condition, then transported by helicopter to Temple University Hospital’s trauma center and upgraded to stable condition.
Police have not released the victim’s name. His attacker was described as Hispanic, about 28 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 170 pounds. He wore black clothing and had a moustache.
Call Northeast Detectives at 215–686–3153 to report information about either case. ••