JERICHO, N.Y. (PIX11) – Two 14-year-old boys were killed and multiple people were injured when an alleged drunk driver hit a car full of teenagers on Long Island Wednesday night, according to police.
Amandeep Singh, 34, was allegedly driving a Dodge Ram the wrong way when he struck the victims, who were riding in an Alfa Romeo on North Broadway in Jericho at around 10:20 p.m., police said.
The 14-year-old boys were pronounced dead at the scene and the other two boys, ages 16 and 17, were hospitalized with internal injuries, police said.
Authorities said the crash caused the Alfa Romeo to ricochet into a Volvo. A 46-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy who were in the Volvo suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene, police said.
The Alfa Romeo and the Ram were crushed in the collision, leaving tires and car parts strewn across the roadway as investigators worked the crime scene, video of the wreck showed.
Singh was arrested and taken to the hospital with minor injuries before he was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter, manslaughter, leaving the scene of an auto accident with a fatality, DWI, and assault, officials said.
Police said Singh was so drunk, he told officers he thought he was in New Jersey.
“There’s no question this is an unmitigated tragedy. But as I said in court, this is an otherwise law-abiding man with a college degree, a law-abiding man with a job, with family and children,” said defense attorney James Kousouros.
Outside court Thursday, a line wrapped about the block in a show of support for the teenagers involved in the crash and their families who were left devastated.
The two 14-year-olds killed were identified by Roslyn Middle School as Ethan Falkowitz and Drew Hassenbein. Friends described the two as rising tennis players with an infectious laugh and a big heart.
“Ethan was a really nice person,” one of his friends said. “He was really sweet. He was really a unique person. He was really nice and everybody loved him. He was really fun to be around. I felt like it was important to be here and support his family because it’s so sad. I’m really upset that he’s gone.”
