A Mayfair Tire Slasher Gets Probation Despite Outrage of Neighbor Victims
By Tony Hanson and Syma Chowdhry
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Mayfair man was sentenced today to probation for slashing tires of about a dozen parked automobiles around his neighborhood in 2012.
David Toledo was also convicted of slashing his own car's tires (see previous story) in an apparent attempt to divert attention from himself as a suspect (see related story).
His story starts off with him being a victim, then a community leader and finally the suspect.
He was quoted as saying, "If I catch him, the reward money, my block I will fix, I want to fix my car." However, Toledo turned out to be the slasher himself.
Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 5-10 years in prison and the probation sentence was even less than the defense sought. The judge in the case, Edward Wright, did not explain why he decided on probation for the defendant.
Toledo said, "I'm just very happy with the outcome."
----
Prosecutor Tracie Gaydos told the court that Toledo's motive was purely selfish: he's a thrill seeker, she said, calling it "sick and twisted."
One victim described the crimes as "emotional and financial terrorism," describing the uncertainty of not knowing if your car would be able to get you to work each day and having to find money to repair damaged tires, hoping the judge would throw the book at Toledo.
But the defense attorney emphasized that Toledo was acquitted of 45 of the 60 counts against him. As he put it, Toledo may have been a tire slasher in Mayfair, but he wasn't the Mayfair tire slasher (see related story).
The president of the Mayfair Town Watch Milt Martelack said Toledo got "a slap on the wrist," complaining that "there was no lesson learned here."
"It's frustrating to see this individual pretty much tormented a community for months on end and pretty much get away with it."
Some neighbors say they will never forgive him.
George Altomari said, "They're lucky we didn't catch him because it would've been bad."
Toledo moved out of the neighborhood after being caught, but some say they are terrified he will do it again.
Renee Banford said, "It was pretty major. He really betrayed a lot of people."
