Cops: Bandit who stabbed store owner wasn't arrested in crash

Days before he allegedly stabbed the owner of a Northeast Philadelphia store in the face, Joshua Garner lost control of the Jeep SUV he was driving and totaled three parked cars.

Garner, who police suspected had been driving under the influence, was taken to Aria Torresdale Hospital but was never arrested or charged in the crash.

Four days later, Garner, 23, of the 4200 block of Frost Street, allegedly robbed the We Buy Gold store, on the 8000 block of Frankford Avenue in Holmesburg,  just after 11 a.m. Monday morning. He made off with $1,000, but not before stabbing the owner in the face, police said.

Police confirmed to Philly.com that about 8:45 p.m.  Thursday, Gardner crashed the SUV. The vehicle slammed into three parked cars before it  flipped and came to a rest at the corner of Stanwood and Leon Streets, police said. A passenger, identified only as a black male, exited the vehicle and fled the scene.

Gardner was pulled out of the SUV  by a neighbor who owned two of the three totaled cars, according to police sources. He was allegedly holding a toy gun which the neighbor grabbed out of his hand, sources said.

Lt. Dennis Rosenbaum, of the Special Investigations Northeast Detective Division, said Tuesday that Gardner was taken by ambulance to the hospital, "but then he left the hospital."

No warrant was issued for his arrest, Rosenbaum confirmed.

Rosenbaum is not sure if a sample of Garner's blood was taken before he fled Aria Torresdale, but police sources claim Gardner was visibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

"This guy was high as a kite on PCP or wet. They should have at least charged him with DUI," said a police source close to the situation, "but they didn't lock him up."

Gardner, police said, is a "known-doer." He has six prior convictions: three for narcotics, one assault, one theft, and one burglary.

Following Monday's robbery, Garner was charged with aggravated assault, robbery, simple assault and other counts.

Rosenbaum said he didn't  know what toxins, if any,  may have been in Garner's system. Toxicology tests take about a week to complete. He said he learned shortly after Garner was arrested Monday night that he was the same man who totaled the cars, Rosenbaum said.

Rosenbaum's reaction: "That doesn't make any sense? Why wouldn't they just lock him up?"