During a hearing Thursday morning, the judge dropped the two felony counts of criminal mischief against 44-year-old David Toledo.
The judge ruled that damages did not exceed $5,000 in any of the individual cases.
Toledo will now be tried in mid July on 47 misdemeanor charges. In the meantime, he remains in jail on $270,000 bail.
Authorities say Toledo is responsible for damaging dozens of vehicles in his Mayfair neighborhood over the past several months.
Toledo's lawyer William J. Brennan told Action News that he is worried about his client's safety.
"I think that until we get a little more assurance that there is not some vigilante out there, he has some concerns and so do I," he said.
Brennan also says Toledo has received threats and his wife moved out of the couple's Aldine Street home as a precaution.
"He is my husband and I support him," said his wife, Yvonne Toledo, as she left court. When asked if her husband was responsible for the crimes, she said "no."
Brennan failed to get Toledo's bail reduced but cast doubt as to whether police have the right guy.
"On the day that he was arrested and incarcerated, six or eight cars got hit in Feltonville. That begs the question, 'Did Toledo do anything?"
For months Toledo had been outspoken about the string of tire slashings in his community, speaking to Action News on numerous occasions about the need to catch those responsible.
On one occasion Toledo even told our cameras, "I hope the cops get them before the neighbors get them because he did a lot of damage and if the neighbors get him, God knows what's going to happen to the guy."
