Suspect arrested in Pennypack Park machete slashings

Police have arrested a 46-year-old man in connection with a pair of slashings last month in Northeast Philadelphia’s Pennypack Park.

Elias Diaz is set to be charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and other crimes, according to the PPD. He was apprehended Sunday inside the park, which boasts popular walking and cycling trails.

Diaz is accused of attacking two people – seemingly at random – with a machete in separate incidents. Both victims required hospitalization for their injuries, authorities said.

On Nov. 22, at around 8:15 a.m., a jogger said a man on a bicycle slashed them multiple times on their arms and hands while on the Pennypack Trail near the 2800 block of Holme Avenue, investigators said.

Two days later, at around 9 a.m., a person walking in the park, near the 2800 block of Winchester Avenue, reported a similar incident, police said. They suffered cuts to their right arm and both hands, according to authorities.

Investigators said a third person came forward Dec. 6 to tell police they encountered an agitated, aggressive man on a black BMX-style bike on the trail Nov. 25. That person was not injured.

Diaz’s legal representation could not be identified through court documents Monday.