The University of Scranton remembered alum Ryan Kiess (photo above), who got his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting and played lacrosse at the university.
Funeral services will be held this week for Ryan Kiess, a 25-year-old senior audit associate at KPMG in New York City who was one of five people killed in a head-on car accident on Long Island July 24 that also left his longtime girlfriend in critical condition.
Justin B. Mendez, 22, of Brookhaven, who was driving a red Nissan Maxima and crashed head-on into a gray Toyota Prius, died at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital a short time later, police said. 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 Ryan J. Kiess, 25, all from Manhasset, died at the scene, police said. A fourth passenger, Brianna M. Maglio, 24, of Garden City, remains hospitalized at Peconic Bay Medical Center in critical condition, police said.
Quogue Village Police Chief Christopher Isola said that Mendez was traveling west on County Road 80 at a “high rate of speed” when he was observed by a Quogue village police officer who was heading east in the other direction. The officer turned around and headed west on Country Road 80 but “was unable to catch up with the vehicle before it collided with the 2010 Toyota Prius operated by Zahid,” Isola said, according to Patch.
Authorities said they found a “quantity of marijuana” in the passenger side compartment of Mendez’s vehicle. But it is not known yet whether Mendez was under the influence of marijuana when the accident occurred.
Ryan Kiess and Brianna Maglio had dated for six years, according to Ryan’s father, Kurt. He told Patch that Maglio is “showing signs of improvement. There are millions of people praying for her, and it’s working.”
Patch also reported that Ryan Kiess and brothers Michael and James Farrell had been friends since elementary school in Manhasset. Apparently Kiess, Maglio, and the Farrell brothers had taken the Uber to go out for a night of dancing.
Kiess graduated with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and a master’s degree in accountancy from the University of Scranton in Scranton, PA. He also played lacrosse at the university, seeing playing time in eight games over three seasons and helping the Royals reach the 2015 Landmark Conference Championship match and to Landmark playoff berths in both 2016 and 2017, according to the school.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Kiess interned at Marks Paneth, Withum, and KPMG before being hired by KPMG as an audit associate in September 2019. He was just promoted to senior audit associate in July.
His obituary states:
Ryan was proud of his career at KPMG, had just received a promotion and always appreciated the support of his colleagues.
Kiess is survived by his parents Kurt and Nina, his sisters Nicole and Kim, his grandparents Klaus and Nancy Kiess and Anna Calace-Mottola, and his longtime girlfriend Brianna Maglio.
Visitation will be on Aug. 5, and a funeral service and internment will be held on Aug. 6. You can find more information here.
RIP, Ryan.
Services For 2 Killed In LI Crash; Wife Of Uber Driver Needs Help [Patch.com]
Parents Visit Crash Site Where 5 Died: ‘Angels, Rest In Peace’ [Patch.com]
Why is it relevant that they found marijuana in the passenger glove compartment? Marijuana possession is legal in New York. Would the cops mention if they found a six pack of beer in the trunk?
Honestly? Yeah, probably.
Rest In Peace Ryan