He’s taking a slice out of crime.
Heroic pizzeria proprietor Louie Suljovic saved the day twice final week — first in opposition to a field cutter-wielding goon in search of a slice, then by stopping a reckless driver from dashing away after a crash exterior his Queens store.
The back-to-back serving of road justice started late April 1 — almost 4 years to the day after Suljovic and his dad have been viciously stabbed a number of occasions whereas making an attempt to thwart a theft.
Regardless of Suljovic’s previous run-in on the flawed finish of a hooligan’s knife, he unhesitatingly burst into motion when an unhinged 34-year-old man burst into Louie’s Pizzeria in Elmhurst brandishing a blade, police stated
“I needed to deescalate the scenario,” Suljovic advised The Submit. “He obtained very nasty, advised us to present him an ‘F-ing slice,’ and was very aggressive towards my prospects — so I gave him a slice.”
Suljovic’s fast considering eased the scenario and despatched the alleged maniac, Jose Guadfebles, on his manner — at the very least for a short time.
The maniac quickly returned in search of bother, however Suljovic didn’t give him any likelihood to begin reducing.
“As soon as I noticed him reaching for the knife, I grabbed him,” stated Suljovic, a army vet who has run the Baxter Avenue store together with his 73-year-old father, Cazim, since 2009.
“I had a full home, and I wished to guard the individuals right here.”
Involved for his prospects’ security, Suljovic and his staff cornered and fought Guadfebles till officers from the NYPD’s a hundred and tenth Precinct arrived.
“We obtained right into a scuffle, I ripped the knife out of his jacket and obtained it out of the way in which,” Suljovic stated. “We have been tussling, holding him down, and the glass door cracked.”
Cops confiscated the field cutter and booked Guadfebles on prices of prison mischief and menacing, officers stated.
Simply three days after thwarting off the knife assault, Suljovic stopped an alleged drunken driver from fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run crash proper exterior his store.
Whereas the driving force was halted at a stoplight Saturday evening, Suljovic opened the driving force’s door, eliminated the keys and held the person till police arrived, video exhibits.
“I really like my neighborhood,” Suljovic advised The Submit shortly after. “I’m right here to guard my prospects and my individuals in my neighborhood.”
Suljovic’s bravery shortly drew kudos in a video posted the following morning by John Forgash, founder and govt director of Queens Collectively, a nonprofit supporting the borough’s restaurant neighborhood.
The video recounting the tense run-in with the knife-wielding creep, and inspiring locals to go to the pizzeria, racked up greater than 20,000 views.
“An alert ought to exit via the police or one other community to enterprise house owners, warning them to be vigilant, letting them learn about latest crimes in opposition to companies within the space,” Forgash stated.
“It shouldn’t be too tough to have one thing much like an Amber Alert system to assist enterprise house owners concentrate on what’s occurring.”
In an ironic twist, Suljovic was being interviewed by a tv crew when Guadfebles, a Queens resident, returned to the pizzeria.
Suljovic chased him away, and Guadfebles was arrested once more Friday.
“I used to be like, ‘Wait a second, that’s him, he’s again,’” Suljovic stated. “You may’t make these items up.”
Guadfebles has since been launched from jail with out bail after he pleaded not responsible to prices, court docket data how.
The latest incident was eerily much like the March 26, 2022, episode wherein Suljovic and his father suffered a number of stab wounds as they got here to assistance from an aged lady who was robbed, stabbed and thrown to the bottom exterior their store.
The stabbing left the daddy and son every with a collapsed lung, however they recovered and shortly returned to slinging pizzas.
Suljovic stated issues aren’t enhancing within the space round Elmhurst’s Dunningham Triangle, the place Louie’s is well-known for its grandma and rooster and tomato slices.
“Issues have gotten worse,” Suljovic advised The Submit.
“It’s not good when individuals are arrested and instantly launched. The punk (who stabbed us) was arrested every week prior. If he was in jail, none of that will have occurred. What number of different incidents wouldn’t have occurred?”
James McMenamin, the vice chairman of the Newtown Civic Affiliation, the Elmhurst Historical past and Cemeteries Preservation Society, and the Elmhurst Memorial League, stated the neighborhood has seen a decline in security.
“The standard of life within the neighborhood has gotten progressively worse. Transients linger day by day, ingesting and urinating. Beggars enter companies. Emotionally disturbed individuals roaming about are the norm,” stated McMenamin, 58, a lifelong Elmhurst resident.
“Anybody with eyes can witness fixed petty theft, all whereas native elected officers peddle their pro-crime insurance policies, fixate on open streets, bike lanes, and the rights of the so-called oppressed.”
Though Suljovic advised The Submit “no one feels protected” within the neighborhood, he received’t quit on New York.
“I’m part of my neighborhood, what am I going to do? Depart all people behind?” Suljovic stated. “I didn’t run in 2022, and I’m not operating now.”
— Further reporting by Matt Troutman
