Amandeep Singh was denied bail for a second time Friday. Singh's attorney had appealed the initial bail ruling, saying his client was
unlawfully denied bail.
Police say the 34-year-old was intoxicated on May 3 when drove southbound in the northbound lanes of North Broadway in Jericho and then hit a car carrying four teens who'd just finished celebrating a tennis victory. Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz, both 14, were killed.
An assistant district attorney in Nassau County argued that they have a strong case against the Roslyn resident, including a black box from his car that showed he was driving 95 mph before the crash. Authorities say surveillance video of the accident and results of tests showed he had a blood alcohol content of more than twice the legal limit and cocaine in his system.
The attorney for Singh said his family members were ready to put up all of their homes as bail, as much as $1 million bond, with any restrictions the court issues - from home detention to GPS monitoring and surrendering his multiple passports. An attorney for Nassau County said that's one of the reasons why bail should not be set in the case.
Singh has an extensive, recent travel history-- something his attorney said shouldn't be held against him.
"Saying they're a flight risk because they travel, that's not appropriate. OK, his community ties are here. He's lived here more than half his life. He's done everything that we expect law-abiding citizens to do," says attorney James Kousouros.
Singh's attorney acknowledged multiple times the seriousness of the case but that it's also challenging - adding that it's one that he needs his client to assist with when it comes to accident reconstruction.
The families of Singh and the families of Hassenbein and Falkowitz were at the appellate court in Brooklyn earlier Friday.