Metro

A Denver, Colorado, man is behind bars in Bedford County after slicing a man’s face in an attempt to kill him, according to state police and court documents.

Luis Angel Palma, 31, told police that he would have killed the victim if not for passersby who witnessed the attack, the affidavit of probable cause states.

Palma was arrested shortly after midnight Thursday at the Sheetz in Breezewood following the attack on a 74-year-old Annapolis, Maryland, man, police reported.

He was arraigned Thursday morning before Magisterial District Judge Kevin R. Diehl on a charge of criminal attempted homicide, two felony charges of aggravated assault and a misdemeanor charge of simple assault.

Bail was denied and Palma was remanded to the Bedford County Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 18 in Bedford County Central Court.

About 11:17 p.m. Wednesday, state police at Bedford received a call from the county’s 911 center about a man trying to punch out windows on a vehicle at the Breezewood Sheetz.

When troopers arrived on scene, they talked with a state police corporal who was holding Palma on the ground at gunpoint.

The victim had already been transported to UPMC Bedford for treatment by the time the state police investigator arrived, according to court documents.

The investigator talked to witnesses, including the corporal who had parked his unmarked state police vehicle at pump No. 3 and noticed Palma pacing around the parking lot. The corporal said when he was about to leave, he noticed Palma walk quickly toward the victim, move up behind him and put both hands over the victim’s head/shoulder area. The corporal said Palma pulled both hands back and from a distance, it looked like Palma had a rope and tried to strangle the victim.

The corporal activated his emergency lights and approached Palma and the victim, drawing his service weapon when he saw blood on the victim’s face. The corporal ordered Palma to drop the knife and then kept Palma on the ground at gunpoint until additional state police units arrived, the report states.

The affidavit states that a large pool of blood could be seen near the front door of the Sheetz building. Police also recovered a black multi-tool style knife and placed it into evidence.

Video surveillance from Sheetz showed the sequence of events, which are outlined in the affidavit.

According to the written report, Palma is seen yelling and banging on the passenger and driver side windows of a black SUV about 11:14 p.m. That vehicle exits the parking lot, heading west onto Route 30.

About 15 minutes later, at 11:29, the victim is seen walking toward the front entrance of Sheetz. Police said Palma can be seen walking up on the man, reaching over his shoulders from behind and making a slashing motion. Police said it appeared Palma tried to cut the victim’s throat. Palma takes the victim to the ground and begins walking away. At that point, the corporal drives his unmarked state police van to the front of the store, activates his emergency lights, exits his vehicle and draws his pistol, taking Palma into custody.

About 2 a.m. Thursday, police were able to speak to the victim at UPMC Bedford, where the man was being treated by medical personnel for the slash across his face.

The victim told police that he and his wife were headed toward Ligonier and stopped for gas at the Sheetz. His wife went inside while he pumped gas and he was attacked when he headed into the store, the victim reported, noting that a bystander helped him at the scene.

Police interviewed Palma at 4:30 a.m. at the Bedford barracks.

Palma told police he had traveled from Denver the night/day prior on his way to Washington, D.C.

When asked what happened at the Breezewood Sheetz, Palma allegedly said “I sliced somebody’s nose.”

Palma claimed he thought the man was following him.

“I grabbed my knife and took him down, and then I saw other people coming, so I probably shouldn’t. Which I thought was a good idea because I would have f**king killed him,” Palma said to investigators, according to the criminal complaint.

When asked if there wasn’t anyone else around, would he have killed him, Palma stated “Yes,” police reported.