WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — An attack with a machete at a Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County facility ended with two workers in the hospital. Now, one needs surgery and the other is charged with attempted murder.
West Palm Beach police say they were called to the site on Jog Road in West Palm Beach, early Thursday afternoon, and found the victim, Nelson Belasquida, with multiple stab wounds.
The suspect, Javier Danger, was in the manager’s office. He had a laceration on his right hand and was arrested.
According to the arrest report, a coworker told police he saw Danger get out of a car and heard him say “I’m going to kill him,” as he walked into the shop, toward the stairs. Then, he heard another coworker say they heard a fight upstairs. After, he saw Belasquida bleeding heavily from his hand and Danger leave the office with a machete.
The coworker was able to take the machete away from Danger.
Belasquida told West Palm Beach police the fight was over a necklace. He said he’d asked Danger to sell it, two weeks earlier, but Danger couldn’t so he demanded either payment or the necklace back. Danger returned the necklace during an argument that morning.
The attack happened later, during a meeting, according to the arrest report.
The victim, Belasquida, said Danger entered the room and threw two sledgehammer heads directly at him. One hit the lower part of his right arm and the other missed.
Then, Danger came toward him and held the machete over his head and swung it down at him. The first swing hit his right hand and caused a laceration. The second struck him on his back. The third swing missed. Then, a coworker restrained Danger and Belasquida escaped.
Belasquida said he heard Danger say, “I’m going to kill you,” twice as he was being attacked.
Also in the arrest report, police say Danger told them that Belasquida had spit on him and threatened to kill him during the morning argument over the necklace, so he went home and returned with the machete and two pieces of metal because he thought Belasquida was armed.
The report says surveillance video from inside showed Danger walking upstairs “holding a large silver-colored machete under his arm and an unknown object in his hand. Danger can be seen swinging his left arm as the door closes.”
Then, another man runs from the room and the victim, Belasquida, soon follows and “Finally, Danger reappears from the office still holding the machete and walks down the stairs,” where the witness takes the machete.
Police report finding “the office covered in blood on the floor, walls, and tables. The blood-covered machete was recovered in the shop at the bottom of the staircase.”
Both were taken to the hospital. Belasquida received seven staples on his back and will need surgery on his hand.
Danger was taken to jail and charged with attempted first-degree murder with a deadly weapon. He was denied bond.