Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Melissa Duran was arraigned on a complaint charging her with attempted murder, assault and other crimes for randomly attacking a man as he stood outside his home on 53^rd Avenue. Duran pulled up in front of a 54-year-old Bayside man’s house Thursday morning and cut the stranger across the head with a knife. The defendant also repeatedly damaged her mother’s vehicle.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, the 54-year-old victim was standing on his porch on Thursday morning when Melissa Duran – without any provocation – ran toward him with knife and slashed his face. In an instant, this innocent man’s life was changed, and he is now recovering from a laceration along his temple and ear. The defendant also went to her mother’s home – in violation of an order of protection – and repeatedly damaged the woman’s vehicle. We will not allow anyone to bring chaos and disorder to our residential neighborhoods.”

Duran, 39, of Oakland Gardens, was arraigned Saturday on a criminal complaint charging her with attempted murder in the second degree, attempted assault in the first degree, assault in the second degree, criminal mischief in the third degree, two counts of criminal contempt in the first degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.

Queens Criminal Court Judge Martinez Alonso ordered the defendant to return to court September 30. If convicted, she faces up to 25 years in prison.

DA Katz said that, according to the criminal complaint:

• Duran arrived at her mother’s residence on September 23, at approximately 5:19 a.m. The victim has an order of protection against the 39-year-old woman. The defendant exited her vehicle – a red Honda Civic – and smashed the front driver side window and rear driver side window on her mother’s white BMW. Duran then got back in her car and drove away after approximately three minutes.
• On September 24, at approximately 11:45 a.m., a 54-year-old man was standing on his porch on 53^rd Avenue when the defendant exited a red Honda Civic, ran toward the man with a knife and asked the man, “What are you looking at?”
• Duran raised the knife over the victim’s head, swung the knife downward and struck the man’s temple area, causing a laceration from his temple to his ear. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was treated.
• That night, at approximately 9:10 p.m., Duran returned to her mother’s residence. Duran approached her mother’s vehicle and bashed it. The loud noise garnered her mother’s attention. When Duran’s mother went to her car, she saw that it had numerous dents and a kitchen knife stuck in its rear bumper.

Assistant District Attorney Hugh McCann of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief,  Timothy Regan, Deputy Chief, and under the overall supervision of Chief Assistant District Attorney Shawn Clark.