Man Indicted After Stabbing 2 People Within Same Hour, 1 On Bus: DA

RIVERHEAD, NY — A Mastic man was indicted Friday after stabbing two people within the same hour in Riverhead recently, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Rene Alexander Elias Chaj, 23, a Guatemalan national, was indicted on charges including second-degree assault, for his reported unprovoked stabbing of two random men who were unknown to him, the DA said.

According to the investigation, on May 2 at about 3:15 p.m., Elias Chaj stabbed the first victim with a knife in his left side while the two men were seated at the Time to Eat Deli on West Main Street in Riverhead, Tierney said. There was no altercation or any provocation leading up to the stabbing, the DA said.

The victim was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was

treated for his wound, the DA said.

After the stabbing, Elias Chaj exited the deli and boarded a Suffolk County Transit bus at the County Center in Riverhead at about 3:48 p.m., Tierney said. About three minutes after boarding, Elias Chaj reportely jumped up from his seat and stabbed the second victim, who had been sitting behind him, on the left side of his body, puncturing his lung, Tierney said.

The victim had been sitting on his own, looking down on his phone when he was stabbed by Elias Chaj; the bus came to a stop after the victim was stabbed, Tierney said.

Elias Chaj then fled the bus and headed northbound on County Rd 51 on foot; he was arrested shortly after on the side of the highway by Southampton Police Department officers, Tierney said.

At the time of his arrest, Elias Chaj was found to be in possession of a clear ziplock bag containing a white powdery substance which field tested positive for cocaine, Tierney said.

On Friday, Elias Chaj was arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins on two counts of second-degree assault and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, all Class D violent felonies, Tierney said.

Justice Collins ordered Elias Chaj held on $300,000 cash, $600,000 bond or $3,000,000 secured bond during the pendency of the case, the DA said. Elias Chaj is due back in court on June 4 and faces up to 14 years in prison if convicted on the top counts, the DA said.

He is being represented by Daniel Fox, who could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has filed a request for advance notice if the defendant is to be released, Tierney said.

"Random acts of violence are chilling," said Tierney. "The safety of our residents is my highest priority, and I will vigorously prosecute this case to ensure justice for the victims and protection for our community."