NYC Sushi Chef Accused Of Going Knife Wild
Traffic Dispute Gets Out Of Hand As Victim Gets 100 Stitches To Head
NEW YORK (CBS)

Jack Zaiback is dealing with 100 stiches to his face and head after angry sushi chef allegedly attacked him during a road rage incident on Staten Island on Jan. 23, 2009.

A wild road rage incident in New York City could have been a scene right out of a movie. An angry sushi chef is accused of slicing up another driver during a dispute on the side of the road. But as CBS station WCBS-TV reports, both drivers are facing charges.

"I thought I was dying," Jack Zaiback said. "I actually said a couple of prayers in the EMS."

One minute Zaiback was driving to work; the next, he said, he was fighting off a knife-wielding sushi chef.

"What he did to Mr. Zaiback was he treated him like a slab of tuna. I'll put it that way," attorney Alex Grosshtern said.

Zaiback, 23, was commuting from Brooklyn to a cell phone store he owns in New Jersey when he crossed paths with 37-year-old Yao Zhou and an incident of road rage went off the deep end.

The two men were driving south here on the Western Shore Expressway. Zaiback said he pulled over after accidentally cutting off Zhou. That's when he said Zhou started cutting him.

Zaiback said Zhou first approached the car, but when Zaiback tried exchanging license and insurance information, the attack began.

"He kept trying to reach for my neck and he actually got me right here," Zaiback said pointing. "He did it like seven, eight times."

Zaiback received 100 stitches.

Police have filed assault charges against Zhou and Zaiback, but Zaiback's lawyer said his client's wounds should convince the court his client is a victim.

"This could have easily been a homicide and in my opinion should be charged as attempted murder," Grosshtern said.

Zhou's lawyer declined to speak on camera but told CBS 2 HD there are two sides to every story and, "the truth will come out in time."

Zaiback said he sees meaning in his brush with death.

"I guess God did make a miracle," he said. "Maybe he's trying to make me wake up to something that I'm not doing the right way."

But, he said he has no idea what struck a sushi chef's raw nerve that day.

Zaiback said if it weren't for a passing NYPD unit intervening, he could have been killed.

Both men are due in court next month.