More than 200 people gathered at East Hills Park on Saturday, April 18, for the second annual Drunk Driving Community Awareness Walk, an event organized by local students and held in memory of two Roslyn teenagers killed in a 2023 crash.
The walk, held at the East Hills Village Theatre in East Hills Park, was organized by Roslyn High School juniors Summer Rosenbaum and Marielle Streiner to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving and to honor Ethan Falkowitz and Drew Hassenbein, both 14. They were killed when a driver struck their vehicle while traveling the wrong way at high speed.
Village of East Hills Deputy Mayor Brian Meyerson said the event drew strong community participation and reflected the lasting impact of the tragedy on the village.
“This event obviously, unfortunately, changed the lives of these families forever, but also shook our community to its core,” Meyerson said, noting that residents continue to come together years after the crash.
Speakers included representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Nassau County Office of Victim Services, as well as a firefighter who spoke about his experiences responding to fatal crashes and personal loss involving impaired driving.
Ethan Falkowitz’s father, Gary Falkowitz, also addressed attendees, urging continued awareness and reflection on the consequences of drunk driving.
“Talking about him, sharing his stories and the terrible, unfortunate incident that happened, maybe that creates change where everyone thinks twice before doing something they’re going to regret,” he said.
Following the remarks, participants walked across Glen Cove Road holding signs to draw attention to impaired driving risks.
The event comes nearly a year afterAmandeep Singhwas sentenced in connection with the May 2023 crash. Prosecutors said Singh was driving under the influence of alcohol and cocaine at the time of the collision. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including aggravated vehicular homicide and manslaughter, and was sentenced to eight and one-third to 25 years in prison in February.
Organizers said the annual walk is intended to keep the victims’ memory alive while reinforcing public safety messaging about impaired driving prevention.
Source: LI Press
