Driver Sentenced for Deliberate Crashes into Chabad Headquarters in Brooklyn

Dan Sohail, a 36-year-old New Jersey resident, was sentenced this week by the federal court in Brooklyn to six months and one week in prison for deliberately crashing his vehicle five times into the entrance of the global Chabad center at 770 Eastern Parkway. The incident occurred on January 28, a significant day in the Chabad community marking 75 years since the Lubavitcher Rebbe assumed leadership. Sohail had been in custody since the event, so his prison term largely overlaps with the time already served, and he is expected to be released in about a week. In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Sohail to pay $20,000 in damages for the extensive harm caused to the historic building.

The attack happened amid a crowded gathering of worshippers and visitors commemorating the special day. Sohail repeatedly rammed the side entrance door, causing severe damage to the door and the vehicle’s front. Fortunately, no physical injuries occurred, but the incident caused panic and prompted a large police response. New York Police officers present for event security quickly apprehended Sohail at the scene.

There was disagreement over Sohail’s motive. Federal prosecutors sought a harsher sentence, framing the attack as part of a rising wave of antisemitic violence against Jewish institutions in the U.S. However, the defense argued the act stemmed from Sohail’s severe mental health struggles, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, rather than hatred. They noted his previous positive interactions with Chabad programs and community members.

Federal Judge Eric Vitaliano rejected the prosecution’s call for a longer sentence, describing the case as a "sad story" and emphasizing the defendant’s mental health issues as central to the incident. The judge focused on the charges to which Sohail pleaded guilty and his personal circumstances, resulting in a relatively short prison term and a substantial financial penalty. This is not the first security incident at the 770 Chabad center; recent months saw other threats, including a suspect carrying a large machete near the site.

Summary: Dan Sohail was sentenced to just over six months in prison and ordered to pay $20,000 after deliberately crashing his car five times into the Chabad headquarters in Brooklyn on a major religious anniversary. The court attributed his actions to mental health issues rather than antisemitism, leading to a lighter sentence and imminent release.