Alexis Cohen

Cohen was born on October 17, 1983, in Brooklyn, New York City. She attended and graduated from East Stroudsburg North High School in Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania. She then attended Montgomery Community College, where she studied veterinary medicine.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/allentown/index.ssf/2009/07/american_idol_contestant_alexi.html|title=Alexis Cohen, 'American Idol' contestant from Allentown, found dead in New Jersey|author=Sarah Cassi|date=26 July 2009|publisher=Lehigh Valley Live|access-date=2010-09-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830113118/http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/allentown/index.ssf/2009/07/american_idol_contestant_alexi.html|archive-date=August 30, 2010|url-status=live}}

She lived in Allentown, Pennsylvania with her mother, Mindy Dallow.{{cite web|url=https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/allentown/2009/07/alexis_cohens_mother_speaks_ab.html|title=Alexis Cohen's mother speaks about her late daughter's third 'Idol' audition|first=Sarah|last=Cassi|date=26 July 2009|website=lehighvalleylive.com}}

Cohen's first audition on American Idol was in American Idol season 7 in Philadelphia, where she sang "Somebody to Love" by Jefferson Airplane. All three judges voted no, and she was eliminated from the season 7 competition.

Cohen returned for a second audition in 2009 for American Idol season 8 in Boston, singing "Like a Prayer" by Madonna.{{cite web|url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/which-american-idol-contestants-have-died.html/|title=Which American Idol Contestants Have Died?|first1=Mariella |last1=Van Houten|date=10 March 2019|publisher=}} She again reacted negatively on camera after judge Simon Cowell called her performance "horrendous".

On July 25, 2009, Cohen was struck by a hit and run driver in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. Her body was found by two passersby along a road about 4am. Paramedics performed lifesaving efforts before they arrived with Cohen at Community Medical Center in Toms River, where, at age 25, she was pronounced dead at 6:35am.

Daniel Bark of Toms River, New Jersey, aged 27,{{Cite web | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/07/27/2009-07-27_punk_nabbed_in_fatal_hitrun_of_idol_gal.html|title=Punk nabbed in hit-and-run death of 'American Idol' wannabe Alexis Cohen|author=Bill Egbert and Jane H. Furse|work=New York Daily News|access-date=2010-09-04}} was later arrested and indicted for drunk and reckless driving, manslaughter, and leaving the scene of an accident.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nj-man-indicted-in-death-of-idol-contestant/|title=N.J. Man Indicted in Death of "Idol" Contestant|work=CBS News|access-date=2010-09-04|date=2010-07-10}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/archive/Ex-Idol-Contestant-Mowed-Down-by-Car.html|title=Arrest Made in Ex-"Idol" Contestant's Death|date=26 July 2009 |publisher=NBC New York|access-date=2010-09-04}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/27/idol.contestant.killed/index.html|title=Idol Contestant Killed|publisher=CNN|access-date=2010-09-04|date=2002-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310115509/http://articles.cnn.com/2009-07-27/justice/idol.contestant.killed_1_alexis-cohen-arrested-american-idol?_s=PM:CRIME|archive-date=2012-03-10|url-status=live}}

Bark, who had a previous 2004 DUI conviction, was fleeing police who were pursuing him after his involvement in a previous vehicular accident when he struck and killed Cohen after failing to stop as a bicycle patrol officer ordered him to do so.{{Cite web|url=http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/07/27/arrest-alexis-cohen-death|title=Prosecutor: Suspect was fleeing police when he hit 'American Idol' contestant|author=Simon Vozick-Levinson|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=2010-09-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816122528/http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/07/27/arrest-alexis-cohen-death|archive-date=2010-08-16|url-status=dead}} In November 2011, Bark accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to eluding police and drunk driving. Prosecutors dismissed manslaughter and other charges in the deadly traffic accident. A judge quashed Bark's confession because police failed to advise him of his rights.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/northeast/view/20111129plea_bargain_ends_case_against_man_in_american_idol_death|title=Plea bargain ends case against man in 'American Idol' death|agency=Associated Press|access-date=2011-12-31}}

Cohen's death was covered by People Magazine,{{Cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20293869,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090728194253/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20293869,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 28, 2009|title=Former American Idol Contestant Killed|author=Samantha McIntyre and Diane Herbst|publisher=People Magazine|access-date=2010-09-04}} Entertainment Weekly,{{Cite magazine|url=http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/07/26/american-idol-alexis-cohen-dies|title=American Idol Alexis Cohen Dies|author=Simon Vozick-Levinson|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=2010-09-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816124153/http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/07/26/american-idol-alexis-cohen-dies/|archive-date=2010-08-16|url-status=dead}} MTV,{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1643482/20100712/story.jhtml|title=Man Indicted In American Idol Hopeful Alexis Cohen's Hit-And-Run Death|author=Gil Kaufman|publisher=MTV|access-date=2010-09-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920034335/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1643482/20100712/story.jhtml|archive-date=September 20, 2010|url-status=dead}} Rolling Stone,{{Cite web |author=Daniel Kreps |title="American Idol" Hopeful Alexis Cohen Killed In Car Accident |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/15784/91308 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920230949/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/15784/91308 |archive-date=September 20, 2010 |access-date=2010-09-04 |publisher=Rolling Stone}} ABC News,{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Television/story?id=8182558&page=1|title=American Idol Contestant Alexis Cohen Killed in Hit and Run|author=Sheila Marikar|work=ABC News|access-date=2010-09-04}} and New York Daily News.{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/07/25/2009-07-25_wacky_american_idol_wannabe_alexis_cohen_killed_in_hitandrun.html|title=Wacky American Idol Wannabe Alexis Cohen Killed|author=Rich Schapiro|work=New York Daily News|access-date=2010-09-04|date=2009-07-26}}

Cohen was interred at Keneseth Israel Cemetery in Allentown, Pennsylvania.{{Cite web |author=Us Weekly Staff |date=2009-07-31 |title=American Idol's Alexis Cohen Laid to Rest - Us Weekly {{!}} UsWeekly |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/american-idols-alexis-cohen-laid-to-rest-2009317/ |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=Us Weekly |language=en-US}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Portal|Biography}}

• {{IMDb name|2921746}}
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8170173.stm Obituary] at BBC
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axZLLAGFXRM Alexis Cohen - American Idol Season 7 Audition]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYu3PsLmUCw Alexis Cohen - American Idol Season 8 Audition]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cohen, Alexis}}

Category:1983 births

Category:2009 deaths

Category:American Idol participants

Category:East Stroudsburg High School North alumni

Category:Pedestrian road incident deaths

Category:Road incident deaths in New Jersey

Category:American singers