Suspect in 770 Car-Ramming Incident Refuses Court Appearance Again In Bail Hearing
by CrownHeights.info
A New Jersey man accused of repeatedly ramming his vehicle into the doors of the 770 Eastern Parkway has again refused to appear in court, forcing prosecutors to postpone a scheduled bail hearing.
The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Dan Sohail of Carteret, New Jersey, is facing federal charges for intentionally damaging religious property following the shocking January incident. If convicted on the federal charge, he faces up to three years in prison.
According to prosecutors, Friday’s hearing was expected to address Sohail’s detention status, but he again refused to appear in court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Silverberg told the judge that authorities have had repeated difficulty bringing the defendant to court, noting that Sohail has now skipped multiple scheduled appearances.
Silverberg said Sohail also failed to attend a hearing last week after reportedly getting into an altercation with another inmate while in a holding cell. Prosecutors told the court that Sohail is suffering from mental health issues and should remain in custody.
“Defendant is accused of deliberately ramming a car into a synagogue five times,” the prosecutor said, arguing that the defendant poses a danger to the community.
Sohail’s public defender agreed that he should remain detained while the federal case proceeds. Sohail has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The incident occurred on the evening of January 28th at the headquarters of the worldwide Chabad-Lubavitch movement in Crown Heights. According to court documents, surveillance footage shows Sohail arriving near the building shortly before 9:00pm, removing barriers that were positioned near the rear entrance, and directing people away from the area.
Prosecutors say he then returned to his vehicle and drove it directly into a side entrance of the synagogue. After striking the doors, he reversed and rammed the building again several more times.
The repeated impacts knocked one of the doors off its hinges and damaged the front of the car. Despite the dramatic scene, no one was injured.
Police officers stationed nearby responded quickly, taking the driver into custody at the scene. A sweep of the car by the bomb squad found no explosive devices.
After his arrest, prosecutors say Sohail told investigators that he had recently learned he had Jewish heritage and had been exploring Jewish tradition. He claimed he had been invited to the event at the synagogue and said the crash happened because his foot slipped on the gas pedal due to icy conditions and heavy boots.
Authorities, however, say surveillance footage and witness accounts indicate the crash was deliberate.
The case is also being prosecuted by New York State authorities as a hate crime.
Sohail remains in custody at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center as the federal case moves forward. Prosecutors continue to argue that his actions — repeatedly driving a car into a synagogue filled with people — demonstrate that he poses a serious risk if released.
