By Brian Zanzonico
Police said that Dick Morales, 41, a horse groomer at Belmont Park who resides at the track, was at the corner of Elmont Road and Hempstead Turnpike at about 1:40 p.m. when he spotted Joanne Morales, 36, in front of the 99 Cent Store and attempted to talk to her.
When Joanne told him to leave her alone and turned to go inside the store, Morales allegedly brandished a large kitchen knife and began stabbing her. She was able to get into the store, but Morales allegedly continued the assault there, stabbing her in her neck, over an eye, in a temple and in her chest, left hand, shoulder and abdomen -- a total of eight times. He fled, but Lt. Robert Cuerbo of the Fifth Precinct said the victim was able to identify Morales, and customers who witnessed the onslaught saw him run inside nearby Belmont Park. Police contacted New York Racing Association security, which was able to detain Morales until police arrived to interview him.
Cuerbo said it does not appear that Morales was following his wife, from whom he is separated, and that their encounter was a coincidence. "She was shopping in the vicinity, he was shopping in the vicinity and he came up to her," Cuerbo said. "He became annoyed and pulled out the knife and tried to kill her."
Joanne Morales's jugular vein and carotid artery were severed, and she was rushed to Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, where she underwent emergency surgery. A hospital receptionist said Friday that she had been discharged.
NYRA Senior Vice President Bill Nader said that Morales lives in a dorm along with other backstretch workers, but is not an employee of Belmont or the NYRA, which owns and operates the track. Nader said that Morales works independently for a horse trainer named Robert Young. Belmont Park makes available to trainers at no charge a limited number of dorm rooms on track grounds to house their help, Nader said. Young could not be reached for comment.
A man who identified himself as a manager at the 99 Cent Store declined to comment.
Morales was arrested and charged with second-degree attempted murder and aggravated criminal contempt for violating the restraining order, which Cuerbo said was issued on Aug. 2. He was arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on Sunday, Sept. 4.
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