FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A 33-year-old man has been arrested, just over a week after an Amazon driver was stabbed after getting a flat tire in Fort Lauderdale, authorities announced Tuesday morning.
According to police, Curtis Gardner, of Fort Lauderdale, was arrested Monday morning on charges of felony attempted murder, armed carjacking and burglary with battery.
Police said the stabbing occurred just after 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, after the driver stopped in the 1100 block of Northwest 10th Terrace.
6 p.m. report:
Surveillance video shows the victim knocking on the door of a nearby home, seeking help, but he runs off before the resident inside was able to answer the door.
According to authorities, the victim then went to a nearby convenience store, the Fiesta Food Market, to ask for help and medics took him to Broward Health Medical Center with serious injuries.
Asim Roy, the manager of the Fiesta Food Market, said employees sat the delivery driver down, got him some water, called police and stood guard as officers arrived.
“It is our responsibility as (a) human to help the people,” Roy said. “No matter what, you know, for me, life is the first — the option than anything else.”
On Tuesday, Local 10 obtained surveillance video from inside the store that shows the victim stumbling into the business, grabbing his mid-section.
Mohammad Ullah works at Fiesta Food Market and was behind the counter when he saw Marquez walk inside asking for help.
“His hand is here and he’s bleeding under the hand and he’s asking for help or call 911,” said Ullah.
The store owner told Local 10′s Roy Ramos that he has seen Gardner before and never had any issues with him. He said he knows that Gardner does live in the area.
Fort Lauderdale police spokesperson Casey Liening said last week that the attack appeared to be “random” and the driver “is expected to recover.”
“The flat tire does not appear to be intentional at this time however the investigation remains ongoing and this information is subject to change,” she said. “The incident also involved a robbery as well and the loss is still under investigation.”
As of Tuesday, Gardner was being held at the Broward Main Jail without bond.