Man who rammed car into Brooklyn Chabad headquarters arrested on federal charges

"Video posted online by Kol Haolam News shows the Honda sedan backing up and then driving into the pair of double doors, knocking one door off its hinges. When the driver finally emerges from the vehicle he can be heard shouting, 'I f-ing slipped, you a-hole!' He backed up and hit the doors five times in total, according to a federal criminal complaint."

"Sohail faces federal charges of intentionally defacing or damaging religious real property, which carries a maximum three years behind bars. The state hate crime charges carry a steeper penalty, but prosecutors would have to prove his acts were hate crimes - which could be complicated by Sohail's identification with the Jewish faith."

"Sohail was not religious growing up, but had recently told his grandmother he wanted to convert to Judaism, his father previously told the News. Sohail told authorities after his arrest that he recently learned he had Jewish heritage and was in the process of learning more about the Jewish tradition."

Dan Sohail, 36, faces federal charges of intentionally defacing or damaging religious real property after repeatedly ramming his Honda into the side entrance of Chabad World Headquarters on Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights on January 28. He already faced state hate crime charges from the incident. Federal charges carry a maximum three-year sentence, while state charges carry steeper penalties but require prosecutors to prove hate crime intent—complicated by Sohail's identification with the Jewish faith and recent interest in converting to Judaism. Video evidence shows the vehicle backing up and hitting the double doors five times. Sohail told authorities he recently learned of his Jewish heritage and was invited to an event at the headquarters.

Read at New York Daily News