Philomena Mistretta, of Coram, gets 7 years for driving minivan into victim, 63

A Coram woman was sentenced to 7 years in prison for intentionally striking a 63-year-old woman with her minivan after an argument in Bellport, the Suffolk County prosecutor said Friday.

Philomena Mistretta, 51, who in June pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder and other charges, will also be required to undergo 5 years of post-release supervision.

“What began as a disagreement should never have escalated to this level of violence,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement. “The defendant made a conscious choice to harm another person, and today’s sentence reflects the gravity of that decision.”

Mistretta's attorney, Chase Brown, said in a statement: "By pleading guilty Ms. Mistretta accepted responsibility while also avoiding the possibility of 25 years of prison time. Ms. Mistretta has a long road ahead of her but looks forward to putting this behind her and healing herself."

The incident occurred Oct. 26 shortly after 3:30 a.m. in the parking lot of Miracle Plaza off Montauk Highway in Bellport, according to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during her guilty plea, Tierney said.

Mistretta was sitting in the driver’s seat of a 2004 white Toyota Sienna when she got into a “verbal dispute with the victim who was standing next to the passenger side of the vehicle,” Tierney’s office said in a news release.

The argument “escalated after Mistretta got out of her vehicle then got into a physical altercation with the victim,” the statement said.

“Mistretta then returned to her vehicle, backed up, angled her car toward the victim, and then drove over her, dragging the victim for a short distance,” the statement said.

The victim, who suffered lacerations to her skull, was taken to Long Island Community Hospital. Mistretta was arrested at the scene by Suffolk County Police.

Mistretta pleaded guilty on June 18 before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz, the DA said.