Brooklyn, New York – A man with a history of mental illness and a rap sheet of sucker-punch assaults has been arrested after allegedly breaking the jaw and knocking out several teeth of a woman in a daylight attack in Crown Heights. The suspect, Franz Jeudy, 33, was accused of assaulting Dulche Pichardo, a 57-year-old Brooklyn school bus aide, as she was walking home from work, according to police.
Despite the severity of Pichardo’s injuries, Jeudy was released by a Brooklyn judge on supervised release after being charged with misdemeanor offenses such as third-degree assault and harassment. Pichardo expressed her fear and concern, stating that Jeudy should not have been released as he is known to be dangerous.
Jeudy’s past includes prior arrests for other random punch attacks, including incidents involving a law enforcement officer and a security guard. He was previously arrested for assaulting a Department of Homeless Services officer in 2018 and a security guard at a medical center in 2019. Both misdemeanor assault charges were later dismissed due to Jeudy being found unfit to stand trial.
In response to Jeudy’s history, he was referred to the NYPD’s crisis intervention team, which consists of law enforcement and mental health professionals. Furthermore, authorities have responded to several 911 calls related to Jeudy’s mental health dating back to 2013.
Pichardo, the latest victim of Jeudy’s alleged attack, is now living in fear and demanding action to address the spate of similar attacks in New York City. She is not alone, as other women have also come forward with their experiences of being randomly punched while walking in different areas of the city.
Following the violent attack on Pichardo, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office is considering upgrading Jeudy’s assault charge to a felony. The incident has raised concerns about safety in the city and the need to address mental health issues in connection with violent assaults like these.