An executive of Indian origin was sentenced on Friday to as long as 25 years in prison for an intoxicated driving incident that led to a tragic car accident killing two teenage tennis players. Amandeep Singh was sentenced in Mineola, Long Island, after heartbreaking testimony by the victims’ family and friends.
Singh, 36, had apologized in court and told a judge he understood the grief he had caused. “Your anger towards me is fully understood and totally justified,” he said before the sentence was read out. “This was all my fault. Losing a child is the greatest grief. I have committed the great sin. If anyone should have died it should have been me.”
Two other courtrooms were opened to accommodate the crowd of supporters for the young victims. Judge Helene Gugerty imposed a minimum sentence of eight years and four months, extending to 25 years if Singh does not qualify for parole based on his behavior while incarcerated.
Singh drove his Dodge Ram truck the wrong way back in May 2023 at 150 km/h in a zone with a 65 km/h limit, according to Nassau District Prosecutor Anne Donnelly. He collided into an Alfa Romeo carrying four teens, of which two survived. Singh was later found hiding near a dumpster.
Tests revealed Singh was driving with a 0.15 percent blood alcohol level, nearly twice the legal limit, and had cocaine in his system. The victims, 14-year-old tennis stars Ethan Falkowitz and Drew Hassenbein, were driving home from celebrating a match victory. In Falkowitz’s memory, his family created a foundation that introduces kids to tennis and each year hosts a tournament in his honor with the help of the United States Tennis Association among others.
