Teen girl killed in Woodmere car crash

Liel Namdar, a sophomore at the Torah Academy for Girls in Far Rockaway, was killed in a two-vehicle crash that happened at 10:58 p.m., at the intersection of Peninsula Boulevard and Edward Avenue, in Woodmere on Dec. 11, police said.

A blue 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck was traveling north on Peninsula Boulevard and a white 2018 Audi Q5 sport utility vehicle was turning southbound onto Peninsula Boulevard, when the crash occurred, according to police. There were two people in the pickup truck, who were taken to an area hospital for minor injuries, police said.

All five of the people in the Audi SUV were also taken to an area hospital. Namdar, who was identified by TAG officials as the 15-year-old passenger who died, was pronounced dead at 11:45 p.m. by a hospital staff doctor, according to police. Miriam Meltser, 38, said to be the SUV driver was reported in  critical condition. The other three occupants sustained less serious injuries, officials said.

TAG officials put out a statement: “It is with heartbreak and anguish that we must share with you that one our 10th grade students, Liel Namdar, was tragically nifteres (deceased) in a car accident last night.”

Arlin Javier Aguilera, 34, of Washington Avenue, West Hempstead, was arrested. He was charged with second-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree vehicular assault and driving while intoxicated.

Aguilera was arraigned on Dec.12. His next court date is Dec. 14.  A bond of $200,000 or $100,000  cash was not posted. No  defense attorney was listed, as of press time. 

The Far Rockaway school was open Sunday night at 7 p.m. for the sophomores or any other student, “who needs comfort from our principals, our guidance staff, and our teachers,” officials stated. Zahava Farbman, a social worker with 25 years of experience in crisis intervention, trauma and bereavement is assisting the school.

Namdar was part of a group of girls retuning from a summer camp reunion at the time of the accident. Dov and Allyson Perkal, the directors of Camp Sternberg, in upstate Narrowsburg, also put out a statement.

A portion of it reads: “The Sternberg community is always a family and as such, while we usually laugh and sing together, unfortunately, we sometimes must cry together. That is our Sternberg family. Last night, we left after a beautiful reunion laughing and singing, and this morning we must cry and mourn as one of our beloved campers, Liel Namdar (Anna Heller Trip 1 Camper Summer 2021), was nifteres in this tragic accident on the way back home last night. We are so sorry to have to share such horrible news.”

 The camp also offered the services of its psychologist, Dr. Ditza Berger at (646 ) 942-4900 for counseling.