Press Release

QUEENS MAN SENTENCED TO 40 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR FATAL RAMPAGE OVER PARKING SPOT IN 2017

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Adrian Harry, 28, has been sentenced yesterday to 40 years to life in prison for stabbing two people after an argument over a parking spot outside of an Ozone Park lounge in December 2017. Immediately following the altercation, the defendant got into his vehicle and intentionally drove into a crowd of pedestrians – striking five individuals and fatally running over his friend.

District Attorney Katz said, “This defendant who decided to handle a minor argument over a parking spot with a knife and then fatally ran over his own friend will now spend a lengthy time in prison for his actions.”

Harry, of Beach 67th Street in the Arverne section of Queens was convicted last month of murder in the second degree, three counts of attempted murder in the second degree, three counts of assault in the first degree and related charges before Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant.  Justice Pandit-Durant imposed the sentence of 25 years to life in prison for the murder charge to run concurrently with sentences of 25 years in prison for each of the attempted murder charges and 15 years in prison to be served consecutively to the attempted murder sentences with a cumulative sentence of 40 years to life in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the trial testimony, on Sunday, December 3, 2017, in the early morning hours, the defendant became involved in an altercation with multiple males over a parking spot outside a hookah lounge. The defendant exited his vehicle along with his friend, Richardo Chattergoon, 23, and wrapped a knife to his hand with a belt and stabbed two of the males and fled. The two victims along with four others pursued the defendant and his friend. Chattergoon was soon caught and some of the group began to punch and kick him knocking him to the ground. The defendant, who found his way back to his car, drove the vehicle up onto the sidewalk intentionally striking the group. The defendant’s vehicle sent some flying into the air, causing serious injuries and fatally crushing Chattergoon who was lying on the floor.

The defendant fled the location in the same car that struck the victims despite massive damage to the vehicle.  He was ultimately identified when one of the victims saw him at Jamaica Hospital where he sought treatment for a cut on his finger sustained during the initial altercation.

Assistant District Attorney Brian Hughes, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau prosecuted the case with Assistant District Attorney Danielle Catinella, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Eric C. Rosenbaum, Bureau Chief and Assistant District Attorney John Kosinski, Senior Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Homicide Bureau, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Daniel A. Saunders.