Mastic man indicted for stabbing 71-year-old in road rage attack

Jeremiah Giraud faces two felony counts of second-degree assault after allegedly knifing a motorist in the neck last month

A Mastic man was indicted Thursday on felony assault charges for allegedly stabbing a 71-year-old motorist in the neck during a road rage confrontation last month, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.

Jeremiah Giraud, 25, pleaded not guilty in front of Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven Pilewski to two counts of second-degree assault and one count of third-degree assault. Giraud was ordered held on $50,000 cash, $100,000 bond, or $500,000 partially secured bond. He is due back in court July 20.

Suffolk District Attorney Raymond Tierney said a confrontation between Girad and the victim began about 9:07 a.m. on May 19 at the intersection of Ditmas Avenue and Riviera Drive in Mastic.

Giraud was a passenger in a Nissan Murano that pulled up behind the victim’s vehicle at a stop sign. The Nissan’s driver honked at the victim, who honked back, the DA said.

After brief maneuvering by both vehicles, Giraud and the victim both got out and exchanged words. That’s when Giraud allegedly stabbed the man in the back of the neck with a knife.

Giraud jumped back into the Nissan and fled the scene. The victim was able to call 911, and was taken to NYU Langone-Suffolk in Patchogue, where he was treated for his injuries.

Investigators recovered the knife from the Nissan, prosecutors said.

“No one should fear for their life or safety because other motorists on our roadways act out of anger,” Tierney said.

Giraud faces up to 2⅓ to seven years in prison if convicted of the top count.

_{Top: Jeremiah Giraud (Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office)}