Utica man slices Applebees worker in face, another diner steps in with gun

New Hartford, N.Y. — After an Applebees worker was slashed in the face by a man with a knife a diner stepped in and held the man at gunpoint Saturday, police said.

Esteban Padron, 28, entered the Applebees on Commercial Drive in New Hartford at 6:42 p.m. and started fighting with workers, according to a news release from the New Hartford police department.

Workers recognized Padron because he had previously been to that Applebees and been forced to leave for disorderly behavior, police said. He was asked to leave and started fighting with workers, police said.

Padron went behind the bar and grabbed a steak knife, slashing a worker in the face with it, police said. Another worker was also injured during the fight, police said.

A man eating in the restaurant noticed Padron’s behavior and pulled his gun on him, ordering him to the floor and to release the knife, police said. The man is licensed to carry the gun, police said.

Padron went to the ground and let go of the knife, police said. The man kept him at gunpoint until police arrived, they said.

When police arrived, they arrested Padron and charged him with second-degree attempted assault, two counts of third-degree assault, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, police said. He was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital for a mental health evaluation, police said.