Franklin Square woman fights with, runs over victim

A Franklin Square woman was charged Monday, Jan. 24, with deliberately driving her car into a woman with whom she was fighting, according to the Nassau County Police Department. Melanie Spanopoulos, 20, struck the victim twice with her vehicle, and was charged with first-degree assault, police said.

The hit woman, 21, whose name has not been released by police, was brought by her father to a local hospital for treatment of a broken pelvis, broken leg and numerous abrasions, police said.

Prior to the incident, Spanopoulos and the victim were riding together in a car in Valley Stream around 1:30 a.m. Monday when they became engaged in a heated argument, police said. The two women exited the car during the argument and when the victim refused to get back in, Spanopoulos became angered, re-entered her vehicle and hit the victim, police said.

After hitting the victim, Spanopoulos reversed the vehicle and backed into the victim, hitting her a second time, and knocking her to the ground.

Nassau County police said Spanopoulos drove quickly from the scene following the incident, but was arrested nearly three hours later and was arraigned last week in the Town of Hempstead’s First District Court. Spanopoulos has not been charged with any alcohol- or drug-related offenses, police said. The case is under investigation by the Fifth Squad detectives.