A crazed career criminal who allegedly slugged and choked a woman pushing a baby stroller at a Chelsea park and then shoved another woman was hit with assault, strangulation and weapons-possession charges Tuesday, police said.
Argenis Rivera, 33, who has a dozen prior busts, was arrested at a Manhattan bus stop Monday, shortly after he randomly attacked the 43-year-old stroller victim and another woman around 1 p.m. at Hudson River Park in Manhattan, cops said.
Rivera allegedly punched the first woman in the face as she pushed a baby in a stroller and began choking her while screaming, “I am not letting go until police come! “I want to die by police.”
The baby was not harmed, sources said.
He then turned to a a 37-year-old woman sitting on a bench and held a metal object to her throat before shoving her while repeating the bizarre rant, law-enforcement sources said.
Rivera fled the scene but was picked up nearby at the bus stop.
He was charged with assault, strangulation, criminal obstruction of breathing, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.
He was awaiting arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday afternoon.
Police sources said River has a history of psychiatric issues and in August was charged with punching a doorman at a Midtown building but was released because the assault charge is not eligible for bail under the state’s lenient criminal justice reforms.