California Rabbi Charged With Murder After Worker Painting Costco Parking Lot Is Struck and Killed

A California rabbi and educator is charged with murder after prosecutors say he deliberately drove his car into a worker who was painting lines in a Costco parking lot, killing him.

Abba Avrohom Bryski, 35, of Agoura Hills, faces the charge in the Oct. 20 death of Nicholas Lang, 28, outside a Costco in Camarillo, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. Ventura County jail records list Bryski's occupation as "Educator/Rabbi."

Prosecutors say Lang was painting stripes in the lot at about 8:30 p.m. when Bryski drove an Infiniti Q60 coupe toward him and intentionally hit him. Authorities have not said what may have prompted the alleged act, or whether the two men knew each other.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office said deputies were called to the area near the Costco gas pumps at about 8:37 p.m. after a report that a man had been struck by a vehicle. Witnesses pointed deputies to the driver, who was detained and identified as Bryski. KTLA reported that he was still sitting in his vehicle nearby when authorities arrived.

Lang, who was from Modesto, was taken to Ventura County Medical Center, where he died of his injuries.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko called the death "a devastating and senseless loss of life." He said: "The victim was at work, painting lines on a new parking lot, when his life was tragically cut short by an individual whose alleged actions demonstrated a shocking disregard for human life." Nasarenko added that his office is "committed to holding the defendant accountable and pursuing justice for the victim and his loved ones."

Bryski was arrested and booked into the Ventura County Jail on suspicion of murder. Prosecutors then charged him with murder and allege that he personally used a deadly weapon in the crime. He also faces a misdemeanor count of resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer.

He appeared in Ventura County Superior Court on Monday, where his arraignment was continued to Nov. 18 at 1:30 p.m. He remains in custody without bail.

Fox News Digital contacted the sheriff's office and the district attorney's office for more detail on what led up to Lang's death. It also asked Chabad of the Conejo whether Bryski is affiliated with the organization and for clarification of his background as a rabbi. The investigation is ongoing.