Prosecutors alleged Monday that a prominent rabbi deliberately drove his vehicle into a Costco worker in Ventura County, rather than striking him by accident.
Abba Avrohom Bryski, a 35-year-old educator from Agoura Hills, has been charged with felony murder in the death of 28-year-old Nicholas Lang outside a Costco warehouse in Camarillo, northwest of Los Angeles. He also faces a charge of resisting, delaying or obstructing a peace officer.
Authorities were called to the gas station on West Ventura Boulevard shortly after 8:30 p.m. on October 20 after receiving reports that a vehicle had struck a pedestrian near the fuel pumps.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office said Lang was painting lines on the pavement when Bryski allegedly directed his Infiniti Q60 coupe toward him “intentionally.” Lang was taken to Ventura County Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.
“His life was tragically cut short by an individual whose alleged actions demonstrated a shocking disregard for human life,” District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in a statement. “We are committed to holding the defendant accountable and pursuing justice for the victim and his loved ones.”
Bryski appeared in court Tuesday, where his arraignment was continued until November 18. The district attorney’s office said he remains jailed without bail.
Prosecutors have not said whether Bryski and Lang knew one another or what may have led to the incident. The investigation is continuing.
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Jail records identify Bryski as a rabbi and educator. He is the son of Rabbi Moshe Bryski, who leads Chabad of the Conejo. The larger Chabad-Lubavitch organization, however, has disputed that the younger Bryski held an official position within the movement.
The deadly incident took place at a newly built retail warehouse scheduled to open October 30. Its adjoining gas station had already been operating since May.
A memorial website has been established for Lang, who was from Modesto. Visitors can contribute toward planting a tree in his memory through the Arbor Day Foundation, with the project intended to support the restoration of forests damaged by Oregon’s devastating 2021 Bootleg Fire. The blaze affected 413,765 acres of forest in southern Oregon.
Lang’s wife posted 25 photographs celebrating his life, including many images of the couple together. Several show Lang holding a child, while another appears to capture the moment he proposed.
The memorial also includes several pictures from the couple’s visits to a Disney-themed adventure park.
“In loving memory of Nicholas, who will be missed by so many. May this tree grow tall and strong as a living tribute to the beautiful soul that touched so many lives,” one message on the website reads.
