A Brentwood man was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, for stabbing his ex-wife more than 20 times outside a Bay Shore McDonald's, an attack that came just hours after she had obtained a protective order against him. Willie Curry, 38, pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder before Suffolk County Supreme Court handed down the sentence.
The attack unfolded around 8:15 a.m. on November 2, 2024, while Michelle Price sat in her car in the drive-thru line at the McDonald's on 5th Avenue in Bay Shore. According to Daily Voice, Curry approached the open driver's window on an electric bicycle and stabbed Price, leaving her with wounds to her neck, face, chest, leg, and hands. Court documents said Curry used a folding knife during the assault; the attack was also reported by Patch.
Price, Curry's ex-wife, resides in Georgia and was only in Bay Shore visiting her mother when the attack occurred, according to News 12 Long Island. The station reported that Price had filed for an order of protection in Family Court just one day before Curry tracked her down and attacked her.
Bystanders Intervened Before Police Arrived
The stabbing ended after an onlooker got out of a vehicle and yelled at Curry, while another Good Samaritan stayed with Price and spoke to a 911 dispatcher, per Suffolk County District Attorney records reported by Long Island Life & Politics. Good Samaritans inside the restaurant and in nearby vehicles shouted for Curry to stop before officers arrived and took him into custody, according to prosecutors.
Price was rushed to South Shore University Hospital, where she needed more than 60 staples and stitches to close wounds across her body. She later testified before a Riverhead grand jury using a walker.
Indictment and Bail Set at $10 Million
On November 14, 2024, Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei arraigned Curry on a seven-count indictment covering second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted assault, second-degree assault, aggravated criminal contempt, third-degree weapon possession, first-degree criminal contempt, and first-degree harassment, according to the same report from Long Island Life & Politics. Curry pleaded not guilty to all counts at that arraignment.
Justice Mazzei ordered Curry held on $500,000 cash bail, a $1 million bond, or a $10 million partially secured bond while the case proceeded, according to Newsday.
Following the indictment, prosecutors noted Curry faced up to 25 years in prison for second-degree attempted murder, a Class B violent felony in New York, or potentially life imprisonment if adjudicated as a persistent felony offender, Patch reported. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said Price followed the system's requirements for a survivor, and that Curry stabbed his ex-wife more than 20 times in broad daylight.
Guilty Plea Resolved Case Before Trial
Online court records show Curry entered a guilty plea to second-degree attempted murder on June 22, 2026, according to Daily Voice's reporting. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office.
Protective Orders and a Rising Toll
The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office explains the purpose and types of orders of protection. Curry's case shows how quickly a protective order can be outpaced by violence.
The case also lands amid a broader surge in domestic violence reports across the region. Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine reported in October 2025 that domestic violence reports on Long Island had climbed 42% since 2019, with the county logging more than 27,000 domestic violence incidents in 2024, according to CBS News. Suffolk County launched a coordinated safety net alliance in 2025 aimed at streamlining interagency responses to high-risk domestic abuse calls.
