Dix Hills teen's death leads to charges

A couple who held a spring party where a 16-year-girl had been before she was struck and killed by a car face charges they violated Suffolk's social host law by allowing underage drinking that night.

Robert and Lorri Gelb of Dix Hills were arrested Monday and charged with violating the law when they failed to stop underage drinking at the party, State Police said.

Taylor Ann Cavaliere, of Dix Hills, was killed after she left the party on the night of April 17 and was hit by a car as she tried to cross the Northern State Parkway near Exit 42. A State Police investigation found Cavaliere had alcohol in her system at the time of her death.

The Gelbs face a $500 fine if this is their first offense, said State Police Investigator James Chadwick. The Gelbs were released on their own recognizance and were issued summonses to appear in First District Court on Nov. 10.

"They weren't giving the students the alcohol, but they were aware what was going on and they didn't take the legal steps to cease what was going on," Chadwick said. When reached at home last night, Lorri Gelb said she had no comment.

Police Wednesday also charged a Commack 7-Eleven clerk with prohibited sale of alcohol and unlawful dealing with a child for selling alcohol to minors who then took it to the party, police said.

Mohammad F. Ellahi, 54, of Bay Shore, a clerk at the convenience store on Jericho Turnpike, was arrested and released on his own recognizance.

Ellahi was given a summons to appear in First District Court on Nov. 10 and faces up to a year in jail, police said.

Taylor Ann's mother, Martha Cavaliere, said she found about the arrest Wednesday and did not want to comment, but she's handling the loss of her daughter "as best as can be."

"We were just hit with this today," Cavaliere said. "It's quite a shock when you lose a 16-year-old daughter. She had her whole life ahead of her. The whole family misses her. Her friends miss her. It hasn't been easy."