A New York mother of six was killed Wednesday afternoon when police say a man deliberately drove into her family outside a convenience store in Haverstraw, Rockland County.
Melissa, 32, was at the store with her husband, Sean, and their six children when, according to police, Sean asked a man who was smoking nearby, identified as Jason, 35, to stop smoking around the kids. A store employee told reporters Jason became angry, and police believe the argument led to the attack. Police say he got in his car, drove into the family, reversed and struck them a second time.
A family member told the New York Daily News that Melissa saw the car at the last second and threw herself in front of the stroller to protect her children. Her family says she died doing exactly that. Relatives also said she was pregnant with the couple’s seventh child.
Sean was seriously injured and several of the children were hospitalized. Local reports say some of the youngest children were in intensive care, with the most seriously hurt child expected to survive.
Police say Jason was still in his car holding a knife when officers arrived, refused to drop it, was stunned with a Taser and taken into custody. He is charged with second degree murder, seven counts of second degree attempted murder, menacing, criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest. Those charges are allegations, and no response from Jason or an attorney had been reported at the time of this post.
Our thoughts are with Melissa’s family.
