Burlington County Prosecutor Robert Bernardi and Mount Laurel Police Chief Dennis Cribben have announced that three adults and a juvenile have been arrested for the alleged early morning robbery and knife attack of a cab driver on Forrest Court in Mount Laurel on Jan. 30.
The following individuals were each charged with one count of attempted murder in the first degree, one count of robbery in the first degree, and one count of carjacking in the first degree: Breanna Pimienta, age 18, of 2995 Chapel Avenue, Cherry Hill; Miguel Mercado, age 21, of 2995 Chapel Avenue, Cherry Hill; Mahadi Robinson, Jr., age 21, of 220 South Lenola Road, Maple Shade; and a male juvenile, aged 17.
Judge Michael Haas set bail for each of the three adults at $300,000 with no 10 percent option.
A first appearance was held Jan. 31 in Superior Court in Burlington County. The juvenile is being held in pre-trial detention.
Police say the investigation revealed that the defendants were at Pimienta and Mercado’s residence early on the morning of Jan. 30 when they arranged to have a taxi-cab pick them up at a nearby pharmacy. They instructed the driver to take them to Mount Laurel.
Upon arriving at Forrest Court at approximately 3 a.m., police say Robinson put the driver in a choke hold and the attack began. The driver exited the vehicle and fled to a nearby residence to seek help.
Mercado allegedly then got into the driver’s seat and drove a short distance before crashing into a tree.
The victim was taken by helicopter to Cooper Medical Center in Camden, where he was listed in critical condition after undergoing surgery to treat a severe laceration to his neck.
The robbery yielded $40 for the defendants, police say.
The victim, whose name is not being released at this time, is employed by the Five Star Cab Service in Camden.
Robinson and the juvenile were picked up by a Mount Laurel patrol unit that was responding to the crime scene. Pimienta and Mercado were apprehended at their residence at approximately 3 p.m. by the Cherry Hill Police Department’s Tactical Response Team.
The investigation was conducted by detectives from the Mount Laurel Police Department, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Unit, and the Willingboro Township Police Department’s K-9 Unit.
