By Dustin Brown
A Ridgewood contractor was slashed across the chest with a box cutter last week when he confronted a homeless man who had been rifling through his truck, police said.
But his suspected attacker landed in the hospital himself after smacking his head against the concrete in the ensuing struggle.
Antonio Burns, 46, the alleged instigator, was arrested and charged with burglary, criminal possession of a weapon and assault, the authorities said. He was discharged Sunday from Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he had been admitted three days earlier in critical condition with injuries suffered in his fall, police said.
The conflict began when Krasimer Zoric, 23, returned to his family’s home at 21-44 Harmon St. around 1 a.m. last Thursday to find the homeless man allegedly stepping out of his family’s construction vehicle, which was parked in the communal driveway behind the house, police said.
When Zoric confronted him, Burns allegedly grabbed a box cutter from the truck and attacked him, police said.
“He wanted to leave and Krasimer didn’t let him go,” said Ata Zoric, Krasimer’s mother, in a phone interview Tuesday morning. “Then he pulled the razor and he cut him across the chest.”
Krasimer Zoric called for help from his father and a friend to subdue Burns, who hit his head on the concrete in the ensuing struggle.
“They wrestled him to the ground, and they took away the razor,” said Ata Zoric, who called 911.
Burns suffered swelling to his brain, a nose fracture and bruises to his face and legs, a spokeswoman for Elmhurst Hospital Center said.
Krasimer Zoric was not seriously injured because he was wearing a thick sweatshirt, which protected him from the blade. He was treated for his laceration at the scene, police said.
The Zoric family immigrated to the United States from Croatia and has been living in Ridgewood for about 20 years. Krasimer Zoric works for the construction company operated by his father, Ivan.
Ata Zoric said the incident represents only the latest in a series of vehicle break-ins that have plagued the neighborhood, the previous one having occurred only two nights earlier.
“That’s not the first time. They are all the time around,” she said. “They always break into cars.”
Reach reporter Dustin Brown by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 154.
