A New York City career criminal was ordered held on $70,000 bail Friday after he allegedly just randomly stabbed two people in separate subway crimes.
Mark Ford, 27, appeared in a Manhattan court, where Judge Lewis set the bail.
Ford’s lawyer, Zwi Wasserstein, requested the amount be lowered to a “more reasonable” amount.
“This is a serious allegation,” Wasserstein acknowledged to the judge. But “I believe the amount requested by the people is typically one for more serious charges.”
Lewis disagreed, saying that with Ford’s criminal history, he would be “following the [prosecutors’] recommendations.”
Ford, who is well-known to police, is charged with committing two separate and unprovoked attacks on strangers riding the New York City subway station Jan. 17.
The Bronx resident stabbed a 42-year-old man in the shoulder around 6 a.m. while on the D train in Manhattan at 59th Street-Columbus Circle, cops say.
An hour and a half later, he struck again, stabbing a 19-year-old in the arm on the 2 train at the East 174th Street station in The Bronx, police say.
Both times Ford waited until the subway doors opened before allegedly stabbing the victims. Both had to seek medical treatment at a hospital.
The next day, police were called to the Bedford Park station in The Bronx for a “commotion.” Ford took off running and police followed, determining he was the same individual responsible for the stabbings the previous day.
“He’s wearing the same clothing, and it should be known that he was in possession of two knives,” NYPD Transit Bureau Chief Michael Kemper told reporters earlier this week.
He had a switchblade and a serrated kitchen knife.
Ford has many prior arrests, clocking in at a total of 21 times, including five felonies.
He’s been cuffed for assaults, petty larceny and criminal possession of weapons, police said.
Ford is due back in court on Jan. 24.
