Elias Giangrande, the 28-year-old son of former HarperCollins publishing executive Gregory Giangrande, and his friend Jack Niehaus, 25, were tragically killed in a horrific head-on crash while returning from the famous Full Moon Party in Thailand.
The incident occurred on Wednesday as the two men were riding a motorcycle back to their hotel from the beach party on the island of Koh Pha Ngan.
According to police, the victims were allegedly “drunk and speeding” without wearing helmets when their motorcycle collided with a taxi along a dimly lit road.
local time. The Full Moon Party, a monthly event, had taken place the previous night on Tuesday.
Gregory Giangrande, a New York Post columnist, flew to Thailand after being informed of the crash involving his son, who was an experienced scuba diver and ran a luxury yachting company in Miami.
Jack Niehaus’ sister, Priya Niehaus, told DailyMail.com that the pair were traveling around Asia with two friends and were a week into their three-week trip.
Priya Niehaus said her brother had run out of petrol on his way back to their hotel, and Elias Giangrande had driven back to pick him up before the fatal collision occurred.
In a joint statement, Jack Niehaus’ family described him as a person with the best human qualities, adding a cheeky joke and a never-ending smile.
They said Niehaus had an aspiring career in private wealth at UBS, but his passions were travel, racing, and his dream of starting a family.
The statement also highlighted Niehaus’ positive impact on everyone he encountered and his selflessness, describing him as a “ray of sunshine” who was inclusive, loving, and kind to all.
Colonel Panya Niratimanon, the superintendent of the Koh Pha Ngan Police Station, said the scene revealed a Toyota pickup truck converted into a passenger vehicle with a shattered windshield and damaged hood.
Photographs from the scene showed the front of the vehicle completely ripped out, indicating the immense force of the collision between the motorcycle and the taxi.
The wrecked black and yellow Yamaha Aerox motorcycle that Elias Giangrande and Jack Niehaus were riding was found in a mangled heap nearby, and their bodies were sprawled on the ground.
Both American tourists were pronounced dead at the scene, while the taxi driver, Supachai Lertsak, 44, was waiting for authorities.
Lieutenant Suteep Chadakan, the Deputy Inspector General of the Koh Phangan Police Station, said they were still waiting for the results of the blood alcohol tests from the hospital.
Chadakan believed the victims were intoxicated because they were returning from the Full Moon Party, but the taxi driver was not found to be under the influence of alcohol.
The police investigation revealed that both the minibus driver and the deceased were speeding, and the motorcycle driven by Elias Giangrande had veered into the oncoming taxi’s lane, leading to the fatal collision.
The bodies of the two victims were taken to the Koh Pha Ngan Hospital for autopsies and are now being prepared for repatriation, with the US Embassy in Thailand coordinating with the families.
Elias Giangrande was described as an “experienced yachting and diving instructor” with a USCG 200-Ton Masters qualification, as well as a scuba and Zapata Racing Team Flyboard instructor.
His most recent social media post, uploaded just a week before the tragedy, showed him and his model girlfriend, Brielle Middleton, in various sunny locations.
Gregory Giangrande, Elias’ father, is currently the Global Chief People and Communications Officer of Ellucian, a private Education Tech company, and also works as a career advice writer for the New York Post.
Jack Niehaus was a wealth management associate at UBS bank, having previously worked as a client service associate for investment company Morgan Stanley.
The Thai Full Moon Party, which the victims were returning from, is a notorious all-night beach party on the island of Koh Phangan, known for its drug and alcohol-fueled celebrations.
