Traffic tickets issued to driver in fatal crash involving New Square grand rabbi
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office aided in the investigation and said they found no reason to press criminal charges despite the seriousness of the crash.
Tuesday marks the one-year anniversary of a crash in the Town of Woodbury that killed a Monticello man on a busy, two-lane road in Orange County.
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State police say 62-year-old Iksong Jin, of Monticello, was killed when the driver of a vehicle crossed the double yellow line on Route 6 on Aug. 15, 2022 while speeding and attempting to pass another vehicle.
The driver, who police identify as 24-year-old Chaim Gordon, of Spring Valley, crashed head-on into Jin's oncoming Nissan X-terra. State police confirm to News 12 that Gordon has been issued six tickets for reckless driving, speeding and other unsafe driving maneuvers.
State police confirmed to News 12 that Grand Rabbi Twersky was a passenger in a third vehicle at the scene of the crash, a 2020 Cadillac. The district attorney's office previously said Twersky was a passenger in the Ford Explorer, driven by Gordon, that caused the crash.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office aided in the investigation and said they found no reason to press criminal charges despite the seriousness of the crash.
“We extend our condolences to the family of the victim in this case. Every traffic fatality is tragic, but not every such instance is criminal,” said Ryan Greenbaum, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office.
Police say Jin was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities would not say whether the grand rabbi remained on scene but said he was not hurt and that only drivers are required by law to stay at the scene of an accident.
Police say Gordon and four other young men in his vehicle were taken to the hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening.
At the time of the crash, the road was closed for more than six hours while state and Town of Woodbury police investigated.
The victim was buried in his native country of Korea, according to a GoFundMe for his family.
Authorities say Gordon was recently ticketed and has yet to appear in court.
