A Long Island father, mortally wounded in a late-night stabbing, managed one final act of survival: crawling to a phone to alert police before he collapsed, authorities said.
Sage Arias-Brown, 33, is accused of forcing his way into the Mastic apartment of his father, 69-year-old Edward Brown, at about 12:30 a.m. Monday and attacking him with a knife, stabbing him several times in the abdomen and chest before running off, according to Suffolk County prosecutors.
Assistant District Attorney Melissa Grier told the court that a witness heard Arias-Brown enter the apartment and then heard Brown crying out for help, before seeing the suspect leave the building. Arias-Brown, who appeared in court wearing a worn tracksuit, scowled and fidgeted during the arraignment.
Despite suffering multiple stab wounds, Brown was able to summon enough strength to reach a phone and dial 911, reporting the violent attack before collapsing while waiting for emergency responders, Grier said.
Prosecutors said Brown was pronounced dead at the scene.
Details of what exactly unfolded inside the apartment and whether there was any confrontation that led to the violence remains unclear.
Arias-Brown — who his attorney, Katherine Fernandez said has a history of mental illness and an open robbery case — was arrested just blocks away from his father’s apartment a short time after the killing, according to police.
He pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and was remanded without bail on Tuesday and is due back in court on Friday.