Uber Driver Charged In Teen's Death

Danyal Cheema allegedly allowed a teen to car surf with fatal results.

By Sophia Ricco
sricco@longislandergroup.com

An Uber driver is facing manslaughter charges following the death of a 15-year-old Cold Spring Harbor teen who fell off the roof while car surfing, the Suffolk District Attorney said.

The fall was fatal to Ryan Mullen, who died in his sleep at home the night of the accident.

The driver, Danyal Cheema of Huntington Station, was arrested by Suffolk County Police on Nov. 4 and charged with felony second-degree manslaughter for the accident that occurred Sept. 23 on Cove Road in Huntington. According to the DA Tim Sini’s office, Mullen was one of three intoxicated teens who called Uber to hail a ride.

Cheema picked up the teens around midnight and was driving them to their destination when the passengers offered him $70 to let them get on the roof of the vehicle and “car surf,” the DA said.

Two of the boys climbed on top of the car, while the third recorded the scene on Snapchat, Sini said. Mullen tumbled off the moving vehicle on Cove Road and struck his head.

“In this day and age, we often encourage people to use ride sharing services because it’s a safe alternative to drinking and driving,” Sini said. “These boys were doing that; they were drinking that night and they made the right decision to contract with a car service. Unfortunately the defendant made a reckless decision and engaged in reckless conduct that caused the death of a young boy, and he will be held accountable for that.”

Following the fall, Cheema drove the teens to a residence, where he dropped them off. Mullen died in his sleep, the DA said.

Ryan Mullen died in his sleep at home the night of the accident.

Suffolk County District Court, Judge Jennifer Henry set set bail at $200,000 cash or $400,000 bond. Cheema’s license was also suspended.

Cheema faces five to 15 years in prison if convicted. He will return to court Nov. 9.

Cheema’s attorney Christopher Renfroe did not return a call for comment by deadline.

“This was an incredibly bad decision by the defendant and a bad decision by the boys involved,” Sini said. “But at the end of the day, this defendant is an adult who was contracted to safely bring those boys home and he failed to do that.”

Hoping To Put A Stamp On History

Rep. Tom Suozzi, third from right, joined local historians and members of the Long Island Woman Suffrage Association on the steps of the historic home of Ida Bunce Sammis in Huntington.

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

A Huntington suffragist was one of the first two women elected to the New York State Assembly.

Congressman Thomas Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) joined local historians Monday on the steps of the historic 70 Main Street house in Huntington to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the election of Ida Bunce Sammis to the state assembly on Nov. 5, 1918.

The site was once the home of Sammis, who with New York City resident Mary Lilly was one of the first two women in the New York assembly.

“She served on a ticket of good, clean, honest administration,” Suozzi said.

Ida B. Sammis

Antonia Petrash, founder of the Long Island Woman Suffrage Association, praised Sammis’ election in 1918 as a major achievement. The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was not ratified until two years later in 1920, but New York State passed a law in 1917 giving the women the right to vote and hold office.

“It was the culmination of a 72-year struggle,” Petrash said.

Huntington Historical Society Trustee Toby Kissam said Sammis moved to the house at 70 Main Street after she was married, and it was where she held meetings and rallies promoting women’s suffrage.

Speaking at the house on the day before Election Day, Suozzi encouraged residents to remember the struggle of Sammis and others like her who fought hard for the right to vote.

“It’s important that everyone gets out to vote tomorrow, no matter who you’re voting for,” Suozzi said. “Throughout the history of our country, so many people fought long and hard for the right to vote. Let’s not see their efforts, on our behalf, be in vain.”

Suozzi also announced that he had sent a letter to the United States Postal Service’s Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee requesting a commemorative stamp to honor the upcoming 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, as well as the election of Sammis and Lilly to the New York State Assembly.

Show Of Unity At Jewish Center

Hundreds of people gathered at the Dix Hills Jewish Center to reject anti-Semitism and show unity with Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue.

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

Hundreds of people of different faiths gathered Monday night at the Dix Hills Jewish Center to mourn and remember the 11 victims of the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg on Saturday.

The solemn vigil mirrored thousands that took place around the country during which people of all faiths rejected and condemned the kind of anti-Semitism and hatred expressed by the lone gunman, Robert Bowers, who was captured alive after a shootout with police.

Rabbi Howard Buechler opened the ceremony and encouraged a sense of unity among all those who gathered in the house of worship.

“Tonight we stand together to seek comfort and to condemn hatred,” Buechler said. “Together we stand together representing a beautiful mosaic of diversity that is our community to teach our children never to be biased or bigoted, and never to let fear hold sway over your lives.”

Linda Beigel Schulman, of Dix Hills, whose son Scott Beigel died in February during the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, also gave an emotional speech during the rally.

“Living through the Parkland massacre once was enough for anyone, but reliving that again this past Saturday has brought back such a flood of emotion that I can not even begin to express my outrage,” Schulman said.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart told mourners that the Suffolk Police Department stood with them, and that police would increase patrols in and around houses of worship “into the foreseeable future.”

“It is critical to us that we do all we can as a police department to make sure that you feel safe as you join together to worship,” Hart said.To end the vigil, attendees joined together in solidarity and sang “God Bless America.”

Buechler said, “Tonight we might be standing in Dix Hills, but tonight we are all in Pittsburgh.”