Parishioners of a
The Rev. Chacko T. Mammen, 69, was taken after the crash at
about 12:10 a.m. to
Police arrested Christopher Gomez-Almendarez, 23, of
Mammen was traveling west when Gomez-Almendarez, riding in a 2017 Honda Accord, traveling in the right lane, struck the rear of Mammen’s vehicle, causing the victim to lose control and crash into a tree, police said.
The news of Mammen’s unexpected death spread quickly
throughout
“He was an amazing orator,” said Ron Jacob, 39, of Syosset, one of the parishioners. “We used to refer to it as preaching fire.”
At Thursday's service, Jacob said Mammen spoke about the
importance of the Holy Eucharist and the need for Christians to believe in the
life and resurrection of Jesus. The church serves members off the Malayalee
Christian community with roots in
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/crime/southern-state-parkway-accident-1.29978913