Man Pleads Guilty to Ramming Car Into Chabad Headquarters
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Dan Sohail pleaded guilty to federal charges of damaging religious property after ramming his car into the Chabad-Lubavitch Orthodox Jewish movement's global headquarters in January.
- Video footage showed Sohail repeatedly crashing a gray Honda sedan into the building's entrance before exiting the vehicle and cursing at bystanders.
- Initially charged with hate crimes by state prosecutors, those charges were dropped; federal prosecutors pursued the case while Sohail was incarcerated at Rikers Island.
- Sohail's background includes concerns about his mental health, an expressed interest in converting to Judaism, and prior engagement with Hasidic communities.
- Under his plea deal, Sohail faces up to six months in prison, with credit for over three months already served.