Legislators Drucker and Lafazan Salute Courageous NCPD Officers for Bringing Suspect in Horrific Jericho DWI Crash to Justice
Raw audio of the presentation starts at 43:35 at the following link - http://nassaucountyny.iqm2.com/Citizens/SplitView.aspx?Mode=Video&MeetingID=2085&Format=None
(MINEOLA, N.Y.) – During the Monday, Sept. 18 meeting of the Nassau County Legislature, Nassau County Legislators Arnold W. Drucker (D – Plainview) and Joshua Lafazan (D – Woodbury) joined their colleagues in lauding the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association’s “Top Cops” for the month of September for apprehending the suspect in the horrific and much-publicized wrong-way DWI crash on North Broadway in Jericho that killed two 14-year-old boys who were returning from a tennis match.
On May 4, 2023, Criminal Intelligence Rapid Response Team Police Officers Kevin Conley and Kyle Fagan were on patrol in the Nassau County Police Department’s Second Precinct when they received reports of a car crash with injuries. Upon arriving at the scene, they learned that two victims of the accident, Roslyn residents Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz, both 14, succumbed to their injuries.
Officers Conley and Fagan immediately began canvassing for the subject, who fled on foot. While doing so, they saw a man in the rear lot of a closed building near the accident, and as they approached him, they saw that he had a cut to his forehead and blood on his shirt. A witness to the accident was brought to the parking lot by Second Precinct officers and identified him as the driver that left the scene of the accident. After determining the suspect was intoxicated, he was placed under arrest and charged with numerous felonies, including Aggravated Vehicular Homicide. Police said that the suspect had a DWI arrest on his record and described the crash as “one of the most catastrophic scenes” in recent memory.
“Without a doubt, this was one of the most horrific, heart-wrenching incidents that I’ve ever seen or heard about. The gravity of it – that these two young boys with such bright futures – their lives were snuffed out in an instant by someone who did not belong on the roads,” Legislator Drucker said. “Families and communities have been ripped apart by this accident and is the type of tragedy that occurs when impaired drivers make the devastating decision to get behind the wheel. I thank Officers Conley and Fagan and all our NCPD officers from the bottom of my heart for their bravery, their training, and for never letting horrific circumstances deter them from the job that they have to do.”
“In the days and weeks following the accident, the entire community of Roslyn was devastated. What you did with your heroism and your bravery was you gave a community a bit of closure to know that this person who robbed these two young boys of their futures will be put behind bars and justice will be served,” Legislator Lafazan said. “The community sees the light of justice and of closure because you put yourselves in harm’s way to make the community a better and safer place. I cannot thank you enough for all you do - you are the reason why this County has the greatest police department in the nation.”
PHOTO CREDIT – Photos by Peter M. Budraitis