Two teenagers accused of cutting off a cab driver’s thumb with a machete and slashing several other people in the Bronx last weekend are out on bail, and that’s not sitting well with their alleged victims.
Richard Deleon’s hand was still heavily bandaged at a briefing by the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, a union, on Sunday.
“It’s unfair to all of us as citizens of New York to have to deal with people chopping other people’s fingers off, slashing other people and getting away with it,” Jose Viloria, president of the NYSFTD, said at the briefing.
Early last Sunday morning, three passengers were in Deleon’s livery cab on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx when police say two suspects, both 17, opened the door to the cab, swinging a machete. Deleon raised his hands to defend the passengers and his thumb was cut off.
The suspects were arrested on charges of felony assault, criminal possession of a weapon and harassment. They were later released on $200 bail.
Deleon’s family says the judge went too easy on violent criminals.
“That’s one of the most frustrating things,” his sister, Fary Deleon, said. “We just want justice. Those kids are still out there and they may be able to hurt somebody else.”
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One of the suspects posted on Facebook that he “had to make it home for dinner.”
NBC 4 New York reached out to the judge who set the bail but has not heard back.
