Service set for 1 of 5 killed in head-on collision Quogue

QUOGUE, NY — Services for a 25-year-old man, one of five killed in a head-on collision in Quogue last week, have been planned as a devastated family prepares to lay him to rest.

“Ryan James Kiess passed away tragically on July 24th,” reads his obituary, from Fairchild Sons, Inc. Funeral Chapel. “He is survived by his parents Nina and Kurt, his sisters Nicole and Kim, his grandparents Klaus & Nancy, Anna Calace-Mottola and his fiancee Brianna Maglio. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations for Brianna's medical expenses. There will be more information on this once the details are finalised.”

Calling will be held on Thursday, August 5th from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Fairchild Funeral Chapel, located at 1570 Northern Blvd. in Manhasset. The funeral service will be held on Friday, August 6th, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church, located at 1901 Northern Blvd. in Manhasset. Interment will follow from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. at Nassau Knolls Cemetery, located at 500 Pt. Washington Blvd. in Port Washington.

Five men died in a crash on the Montauk Freeway in July, police said.

Justin B. Mendez, 22, of Brookhaven, who was driving a red Nissan Maxima that crashed head-on into a gray Toyota Prius at Montauk Highway and Quogue Street (East) died at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital a short time later, the police. The driver of the Prius, Farhan Zahid, 32, of Bay Shore, was an Uber driver and three passengers, Michael O. Farrell, 20, James P. Farrell, 25, and Kiess, 25, all of Manhassett, they died at the scene, police said. A fourth passenger, Brianna M. Maglio, 22, of Garden City, remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said.

Investigators believe speeding may have been a factor in the crash, police said. Authorities released details of the night of the crash this week and said Mendez was speeding, had marijuana in his car and, according to unverified accounts, may have turned off his headlights when police began following him.

The Farrell brothers were laid to rest Friday as hundreds of mourners, many young people, flocked to Port Washington for the moving and heartfelt service.

Kurt Kiess said his son Ryan had been friends with brothers James and Michael since elementary school in Manhasset.

“They lived 200 yards away, took the school bus together and were teammates in sports, playing lacrosse,” he said. His son played lacrosse in high school and college, he said.

“There was a great group of them, the Manhasset High School class of 2014. The boys were very close, they were always together,” he said.

The young men, he said, were all “very caring. They were the first to help you. They just loved the music, loved their friends.” And, he said, they enjoyed playing golf together at North Hempstead Country Club. “They were buddies,” Kiess said. “They were the best of friends.”

His son met Brianna at the University of Scranton. they both played lacrosse and dated for six years, Kiess said. “They were a fantastic couple,” she said.

“We are praying for her,” he said.

The night his son died began as a celebration, Kiess said. He and his wife just bought a house in Remsenburg.

“It was our first party. My son was so proud of this house. All his friends were at the cottage, playing games and dancing,” she said. “They helped clean up and then called an Uber to go dancing. He went to the living room and got in the car — and that was the last time I saw my son,” Kiess said.

He added, “You see these things on the news and you're like, 'That's somebody else' — and then it becomes your family.”

The youths called an Uber to be safe, he said. “They did the right thing.”

Kiess said redesigning the roadway where the crash occurred should be considered. He had heard the last time an accident happened at the site was years ago, Kiess said. “It's not something to be proud of,” he said. “This is ridiculous. It's a curvy road. It shouldn't be this dangerous. Traffic on Montauk Highway has increased over the years.” Officials, he said, “must be more responsible” and deal with the situation. “He can't help my son, but maybe he can help someone else.”

His son and his friends, Kiess said, “were all good guys.” His son was an accountant at KPMG and had just been promoted. “They were all early in their careers, it was limitless — they had their whole lives ahead of them.”

Through tears, Kiess said: “Our hearts are broken forever. Our lives will never be the same. We love our son – and always will.”

The Uber driver's wife also held a funeral for her husband and sole provider this week. left with three young children, she has launched fundraising efforts to help them.