A Weehawken resident remains in critical condition in Jersey City Medical Center, trying to recover from multiple stab wounds, while another Weehawken resident remains in Hudson County Jail after a stabbing early Saturday morning.
According to police, the alleged stabber has already confessed to stabbing the victim more than a dozen times in an apparent dispute.
According to Weehawken police officials, 53-year-old Peter Severino was stabbed several times in the arms, chest and legs, one of the wounds puncturing his lung, after getting involved in an altercation with 34-year-old Carlos “Carlito” Canas, in the alley adjacent to Severino’s Highwood Terrace residence.
According to Weehawken Deputy Police Chief Tom McGorty, Weehawken police received a 911 call around 1:25 a.m. last Saturday.
“We responded to a call of a man who was being stabbed,” McGorty said. “Within minutes, police found Mr. Peter Severino sitting on his porch with blood all over him. He was sitting up and screaming at the time. He was responding to the officers when they arrived. They asked him who had did this to him and he didn’t answer. He just said that the man ran away.”
McGorty said that a witness saw a man fleeing the scene wearing a red shirt and red pants.
Severino was quickly transported to Jersey City Medical Center, where he remains.
Fruitful investigation
McGorty said Weehawken detectives did some preliminary investigation and found out that Severino had been shooting pool and hanging out in a Union City bar and restaurant with Canas earlier that evening.
“Based on the information gathered at the scene, the members of the Detective Bureau were able to find out who Severino was with,” said Weehawken Public Safety Director Jeff Welz.
When police arrived at the Park Avenue residence of Canas, he was wearing a red bloody shirt, police said.
“He [allegedly] tried to flee out the back door and was arrested after a short chase,” Welz said.
When Canas was brought back to Weehawken police headquarters, he confessed to stabbing Severino, according to Welz.
“He gave a complete statement to the investigators,” Welz said.
The statement
Police say that Canas told them that the two men were playing pool together at the Park Avenue establishment with another male. Canas said that all three men were smoking crack cocaine together and drinking throughout the course of the evening.
At around 12:30 a.m., Canas wanted more crack, so he stopped at his apartment on Park Avenue to get more money to purchase the crack from Severino.
When the two men got to Severino’s residence on Highwood Terrace, they began smoking crack again with a female acquaintance, according to Canas’ statement.
“After they started smoking crack in Severino’s basement, the two men had words,” Welz said. “Severino then punched Canas in the face and ordered him out. They went out into the alleyway and according to Canas’ statement, Severino attacked him again in the alley. That’s when Canas pulled out the knife and stabbed Severino several times. He gave the statement that said he did stab Severino.”
The female acquaintance of Severino also gave a statement that corroborated the story, according to Welz.
McGorty said that Canas was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, possession of an unlawful weapon, and use of a weapon for unlawful purposes.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office will determine whether Canas will face additional charges of attempted murder.
Drug activity in area?
Canas was transported to Hudson County Jail in Kearny, where he remains in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Welz said that the Highwood Avenue residence was a trouble spot for Weehawken police in recent months.
“There was a series of police-related activity coming from that location for the past year,” Welz said. “There were numerous code violations for an illegal basement apartment. Teenage runaways were apparently residing there. There were also several noise complaints and we suspected that there was drug-related activity going on as well, but we were never able to pin it down. But basically, this was a troubled house for a long period of time.”
Severino’s wife disputed the claims of the police related activity going on, stating that the teenagers were just friends of her son who played in with her son’s band. However, Welz claims that is not the case.
“There are plenty of reports that come from that location,” Welz said.
Severino’s wife said that she doesn’t know if her husband will recover from the wounds. If he doesn’t, then obviously more charges will be levied against Canas.