A New York man has admitted to causing a wrong-way car crash after drinking tequila and using cocaine, which killed two 14-year-old tennis players on their way home from a team dinner.
Amandeep Singh, 36, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated (DWI) for the May 3, 2023, crash in Jericho, Long Island. The crash claimed the lives of Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz, both 14... Continue reading here ▶
Before the crash, Singh had been drinking scotch and tequila and using cocaine, according to prosecutors.
Driving his Dodge Ram pickup truck at high speeds, he went the wrong way on North Broadway and crashed into a car carrying Drew, Ethan, and two other boys.
Drew and Ethan were killed instantly, while the other two boys were injured but later recovered.
Singh’s vehicle also hit a second car, injuring two more people who were treated at the scene and released.
After the crash, Singh was found hiding near a dumpster in a nearby parking lot. Police arrested him and took him to a hospital for a head injury.
Bodycam footage showed him admitting, “So what if I drink and drive … maybe I did.” His blood alcohol level was 0.18, more than twice the legal limit.
The boys had been returning home from a restaurant celebration with their high school tennis team. Drew, ranked 38th nationally for players under 14, had won his match earlier that day.
The boys were described as “best friends” and passionate tennis players who had been playing since they were 5 years old.
Drew’s family started the Drew Hassenbein Foundation to provide tennis lessons and scholarships for underprivileged children and support elite junior players. Similarly, Ethan’s family created The Ethan Falkowitz Foundation to honor his memory.
A GoFundMe for Ethan described him as someone who found happiness in making others happy. It said, “He didn’t want to believe there was ‘bad’ in the world. His optimism and love for others will guide us as we work to ensure his legacy is defined by love, not tragedy.”
The loss of Drew and Ethan has deeply affected their families, friends, and the tennis community, but their legacies continue to inspire.
