A 40-year-old teacher and mother of four died Friday after the SUV she was driving struck a tree in her driveway, hit a parked car, and plunged into her backyard swimming pool in Hewlett Bay Park. Allison Rahmani, a resident of the exclusive Five Towns village, was pronounced dead at a local hospital after the crash, which occurred shortly before 9:30 a.m.
Nassau County police said Rahmani was driving a 2023 GMC SUV when she lost control of the vehicle in the driveway at 1192 Elinor Road, according to the Herald Community Newspapers. The SUV struck a tree and an unoccupied 2006 Honda before plunging into the in-ground pool. Emergency responders arriving on scene found the vehicle partially submerged with all four tires off the ground, as reported by Daily Voice.
Rahmani had already been pulled from the SUV by the time officers arrived, and responding police began CPR and other emergency life-saving measures on scene, the outlet's report notes. Despite the vehicle landing in the pool, a family source told JNS that Rahmani did not drown. According to that account, she remained conscious enough after the crash to call for help herself, and she died in an ambulance while being transported to the hospital.
Community Responders Rushed to the Scene
The emergency response in Hewlett drew both medical and police helicopters, along with on-scene assistance from Achiezer, a Five Towns-based Jewish community crisis support organization, per 5 Towns Central. Fox 5 NY also reported that a car had plunged into a backyard swimming pool on Long Island, drawing wider attention to the crash beyond the immediate community.
Rahmani served as middle school math coordinator and teacher at the Hebrew Academy of Five Towns and Rockaway, known as HAFTR, according to Matzav.com. Her husband, Matthew Rahmani, serves as president of Irving Place Minyan in Woodmere. Word of her death spread quickly through Five Towns institutions where the family is well known.
Funeral Set for Sunday in Hewlett
A levaya was scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m. at Boulevard-Riverside Chapels at 1450 Broadway in Hewlett, according to 5 Towns Central. Shiva details were expected to be announced separately. As of Friday night, Nassau County police had not disclosed what caused Rahmani to lose control of the SUV, and the fatal crash remained under investigation, as reported by Newsday.
The crash unfolded in Hewlett Bay Park, an incorporated village of just 428 residents where average household income exceeds $550,000, ranking it among the ten wealthiest municipalities in New York State, per Daily Voice. Vehicle submersion crashes remain a rare but recognized hazard nationally; federal crash data compiled by NHTSA and cited by Safe Ride 4 Kids show an average of 384 traffic fatalities each year in the United States involve vehicles submerged in water. Automotive safety researchers note that power windows in submerged vehicles frequently short-circuit within seconds of water contact, according to Murray Guari Perry Trial Attorneys, making rapid extrication crucial in these situations.
Whether a medical episode, mechanical failure, or driver error caused Rahmani to lose control remains an open question for investigators. VINnews, which first reported on the tragedy, noted the crash occurred shortly before 9:30 a.m. Friday. Nassau County police have not released further findings as the investigation continues.
