After an eight month investigation, acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced the indictment of 18-year-old Cory Gloe of Farmingdale, for his alleged involvement in a street racing crash that took the lives of five Farmingdale High School teenagers—Tristan Reichle, Jesse J. Romero, Carly Lonnborg, Noah Francis and Cody Talanian
—on May 10, 2014.
“Today’s indictment is the result of an event that brought heartbreak to these families, the innocent victims who were injured, and the Farmingdale community since last May,”
Singas said. “Unfortunately, nothing will alleviate the pain or bring back the lives lost in this senseless crash. We owe it to our kids and everyone on our roads to remember that speed and racing kill. As parents, grandparents and teachers we cannot emphasize enough to our kids that when you are old enough to drive a car, you are also old enough to be held responsible for your decisions behind the wheel.”
It is alleged that after participating in organized street races behind the Airport Plaza Mall on Rt. 110, Gloe left the parking lot in a 2008 Scion with four passengers in the car.
At the intersection of Conklin Street and Rt. 110, Gloe was stopped at a red light when he noticed his friend, 17-year-old Tristan Reichle, in the lane next to him, driving a 2001 Nissan Sentra with four other passengers.
Gloe challenged Reichle to race several times and when the light turned green the two sped off. Reichle lost control, crossed the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic and violently impacted a 2011 GMC Terrain occupied by two adults.
Reichle and his passengers—Romero, Lonnborg, Francis and Talanian—were killed in the crash.
The other two people in the GMC Terrain sustained serious injuries for which they have each undergone multiple surgeries and are still recovering.
On Jan. 5, Gloe was indicted by a grand jury on five counts of manslaughter, two counts of assault, reckless endangerment, five counts of criminally negligent homicide, two counts of assault, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and reckless driving.
Nassau County Court Judge Terence Murphy suspended Gloe’s license and set bail at $50,000 cash or bond. Gloe is due back in court on Feb. 11, 2015. If convicted of the top charge against him, Gloe faces a maximum of five to 15 years in prison.
Singas also noted that Nassau County Police increased traffic enforcement efforts in 2014, including stepped-up patrols and electronic speed signs in the Farmingdale area, increased summonses and DWI patrols and checkpoints. She also pledged to work with partners to keep fighting street racing.
“We cannot give up on stopping tragedies like this even though the issue is difficult to address,” Singas said.
“Important steps have been taken, and more will be done in the areas of prevention, disruption, education and legislation. Other jurisdictions, for example, have had some success using statutes that revoke licenses and impound and even forfeit the vehicles of racers. I am looking forward to working with our partners in law enforcement, the Judiciary and the Nassau County and New York State legislatures to address this dangerous issue so more families will not suffer.”
