A Jamaica man expressed “profound remorse” in Queens Supreme Court on Friday morning after he was sentenced to 25 years in state prison for the attempted murder of his estranged wife nine months ago in front of her Flushing home. Stephen Giraldo, of 144th Street, pleaded guilty to attempted murder last month for running over 41-year-old Sophia Giraldo with his SUV, before stabbing her in the chest, all in the presence of their three young children. Sophia has been in a coma since the attack.
The couple’s children were in the vehicle when the attempted murder occurred. Prior to running over his wife, Giraldo warned their children to buckle up. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has referred to this case as one of the most brutal to be prosecuted by her office.
According to the charges, on the morning of December 27, 2022, at approximately 5:20 a.m., Giraldo was observed on security video footage in a white Ford Explorer sports utility vehicle outside the residence of his estranged wife at 41-80 Parsons Blvd. in Flushing.
Inside the vehicle with the defendant were the couple’s three children, ages 6, 9 and 11, who Giraldo was dropping off. When his estranged wife walked in front of the vehicle, Giraldo told the children to “keep your seatbelt on” and drove the SUV directly into his wife.
After colliding with the victim, the car turned onto its side. Giraldo climbed over his child seated in the front passenger seat and through a window before stabbing his wife in the chest. The victim suffered severe neurological damage, broken bones in her leg and a stab wound that
punctured her liver. EMS responded to the crime scene and rushed the victim to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital for treatment of her injuries.
She survived the brutal attack, but has not regained consciousness and has been under medical care since the attack. Police from the 109th Precinct in Flushing arrived at the home and officers took Giraldo into custody. The children were not harmed in the collision, according to the NYPD.
“This is one of the most brutal cases we have prosecuted. To tell your children to ‘buckle up,’ purposefully hit their mother and then climb over your son to continue your attack with a knife is unconscionable,” Katz said. “In holding the defendant accountable and securing a lengthy prison sentence, we hope we have achieved some measure of justice on behalf of the victim and her loved ones.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Yavinsky handed down the sentencing Friday of 25 years in prison, with five years post-release supervision.
