The community was left in shock and mourning after the tragic Ethan Falkowitz car accident.
A high school tennis team is mourning after two of their own tragically died in a car accident. Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz were killed when their car was struck by a suspected drunk driver driving the wrong way on the expressway.
The boys, nationally ranked in tennis, returned from a victorious match when the accident occurred. The incident has sparked conversations about the need for stricter DUI enforcement and the devastating impact of drunk driving.
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Ethan Falkowitz Car Accident
Late Wednesday night, two 14-year-old boys, Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz, tragically died in a car accident. The boys were traveling in an Alfa Romeo when a suspected drunk driver, Amandeep Singh, struck their vehicle.
Singh was driving the wrong way on a Long Island expressway. Hassenbein and Falkowitz were starring on their school’s tennis team, with Hassenbein nationally ranked.
The impact of the Dodge Ram crashing into the Alfa Romeo caused it to careen into a Volvo XC90 SUV. Likewise, it injured a 49-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy inside the vehicle.
The commanding officer of the Nassau homicide squad, Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick characterized the accident scene as one of the most catastrophic he had witnessed in a while.
At the same time, the two boys who survived the Alfa Romeo crash, aged 16 and 17, sustained internal injuries and were taken to a hospital, where they remain in stable condition.
Singh, who registered a blood alcohol level double the legal driving limit, was so impaired that he assumed he was in New Jersey when Long Island detectives questioned him.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the devastating accident left debris scattered across the highway, indicating the immense force of the collision. First responders worked tirelessly to help the injured secure the scene,
However, unfortunately, Hassenbein and Falkowitz were pronounced dead at the scene.
Tennis Player Ethan Falkowitz Death And Obituary
Following the incident, Amandeep Singh, the alleged drunk and wrong-way driver, was arrested. Now he faces charges including aggravated vehicular homicide, first-degree manslaughter, and second-degree manslaughter.
His attorney, James Kousouros, told Newsday that Singh is a U.S. citizen with a criminal history dating back to 2006. District Court Judge Joseph Nocella ruled Singh a flight risk given his criminal past.
Singh was remanded to a Nassau County jail without bail. The Roslyn Board of Education president, Meryl Waxman Ben-Levy, said that Falkowitz and Hassenbein were returning from a victorious tennis match when the accident occurred.
She described it as a big win and noted that the boys celebrated as a team. Melissa Wright, a mother of a fellow youth tennis player, described Falkowitz and Hassenbein as good kids with supportive families who helped develop their talents.
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Roslyn Schools Superintendent Allison Brown announced that crisis teams would be on campus to assist students after the tragedy.
The loss of Hassenbein and Falkowitz has sent shockwaves through their community as residents mourn the loss of two talented and dedicated young athletes. The boys’ tennis team, friends, and families are left with an indescribable void in their lives.
The incident has also reignited conversations surrounding the dangers of drunk driving and the need for stricter enforcement and preventive measures to protect innocent lives.
Advocates for more substantial penalties for DUI offenders argue that tragedies like this could be avoided if drivers were more aware of the consequences of their actions and the potentially devastating impact of drunk driving.