Allison Rahmani, 40, was a mother of four and HAFTR math coordinator; the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
HEWLETT BAY PARK, N.Y. — A 40-year-old Long Island teacher and mother of four died Friday after the SUV she was driving struck a tree and a parked car before entering an in-ground swimming pool at a home in Hewlett Bay Park, Nassau County police said.
The woman was later identified as Allison Rahmani, a Hewlett Bay Park resident who worked at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway. The school’s directory lists Rahmani as its Lower School math coordinator, and reports from the community described her as a teacher. Police have not publicly said what caused her to lose control of the vehicle, and the fatal crash remained under investigation Sunday.
Police said the crash happened at about 9:29 a.m. Aug. 21 while Rahmani was driving a 2023 GMC in the driveway of a residence on Elinor Road. Investigators said the vehicle struck a tree and then an unoccupied 2006 Honda before entering the backyard pool. Television footage from the scene showed the white SUV in the water. No one was reported to have been inside the parked Honda.
Rahmani had already been removed from the GMC before officers arrived, according to police. Authorities have not publicly identified who removed her from the vehicle. Responding officers began lifesaving measures, and she was transported to a local hospital, where police said she was pronounced dead. Police have not released an official cause of death.
A source familiar with Rahmani’s family separately told the Jewish News Syndicate that Rahmani did not drown and had been able to call for help after the crash. That account said she died while being taken to the hospital. Police reports described her as being pronounced dead at the hospital but did not address whether drowning contributed to her death. The family source’s account has not been publicly confirmed by police.
Rahmani worked in the Lower School at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway, commonly known as HAFTR. The school’s public staff directory identifies her as its math coordinator. Reports following her identification said she also taught at the school, placing her at the center of an education community serving families across the Five Towns area of Nassau County.
She was the mother of four children and the wife of Matthew Rahmani, president of Irving Place Minyan, a Modern Orthodox synagogue in nearby Woodmere. The congregation announced her death Friday afternoon. Friends, relatives and members of the local Jewish community later shared remembrances of Rahmani as they mourned her sudden death.
Family and friends gathered Sunday at Boulevard-Riverside Chapels in Hewlett for Rahmani’s funeral. Matthew Rahmani recited “Eshet Chayil,” a traditional Jewish passage honoring a woman of valor, as part of his remembrance of his wife. He also spoke about their early years together and the support she had given their family. Rahmani’s sister remembered her dedication to children and her work as an educator.
The circumstances that caused the GMC to move through the driveway, hit the tree and parked vehicle and enter the pool have not been established publicly. Authorities have not announced whether investigators are examining a mechanical problem, a medical emergency or another possible cause. No such explanation should be treated as established unless police or other investigators release supporting findings.
As of Sunday, Aug. 23, Nassau County police continued to investigate the fatal crash. Authorities had not publicly released a cause of death or a finding explaining why Rahmani lost control of the SUV.
Author note: Last updated August 23, 2026.