NY - Twenty Fatality Traffic Crash, Schoharie County, 6 Oct 2018

[Isabelle]

Lawyer Lee Kindlon representing Prestige Limousine on GMA this morning

He is saying the inspections last month were for minor things, windshield wipers, a latch on a window that needed to be fixed...

Also in this interview Robert Sumwalt, chairman, NTSB replied yes when asked if the engine went beyond the driver's seat. He said, "That is correct. The engine block was pushed back into the driver's compartment, it is hard to tell because there is so much damage."

New details on limo crash that killed 20

I wish the lawyer would have been asked his opinion on the fact that there was no insurance in effect. This company was a freaking mess and clearly a danger to society!!!

 

[Isabelle]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/limo-crash-killed-20-schoharie-new-york-prestige-limousine-history-failed-inspections

“The FBI isn't commenting on whether Hussain was an informant. Authorities seized four vehicles from Prestige, including the limo. Police say the victims in the limo had tried to hire a bus through a different company before the crash, but the bus broke down. At the last minute, they hired Prestige.”

Prestige may have been the only limo company that had a vehicle available. No wonder!!!

 

[Elley Mae]

Abeling also said her daughter remembered the group originally rented “some kind of bus,” but was provided a limousine when the vehicle broke down before arriving at a brewery in Cooperstown, N.Y. according to the Post.

New York crash victim text messaged that limo was in ‘terrible condition’ before accident killed 20

McGowan’s aunt, Valerie Abeling, told CNN her niece had texted a friend saying the company had sent the stretch limousine to replace a vehicle that had broken down.

Limo in deadly New York crash failed inspection: Governor | Reuters

I am not seeing two different companys involved.

 

[Mica]

Reported in Daily Mail: New York limo crash driver is revealed after accident which killed 20 | Daily Mail Online

If the aunt (Abeling) is correct, I wonder if the bus that broke down was from one of the other unsafe limo companies owned by Hussain? Could be a reason for some thinking two different companies were involved. JMO

>>snip

Abeling said the group had rented “some kind of bus” to take them to the party venue, but it had broken down. The same company then sent a limo to take the group the rest of the way.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Has anyone found customer reviews for the limousine service? I've checked Yelp! and TripAdvisor and am not sure which Prestige Limo company is the one involved in this horrific crash. There are several limo services with same name in NY.

 

[MsFacetious]

This interview with the father's sister indicates the parents are living and both are "broken". I don't know how they'll survive.

I'm afraid to ask.... do they have other children? Or did they just lose all of their children?

Am I correct in believing that Prestige was not the original rental agency for the vehicle that broke down and that they were called in the last minute?

So neither the Prestige manager nor the deceased driver were actually originally scheduled for this trip?

I did see a report that they had initially hired another company, who cancelled at the last minute. So they hired Prestige. Then the first vehicle broke down so they sent the fatal limo. However, I don't know if that is true. I think it's a bit confused right now and it'll take some time to sort out.

 

[8countlife]

bbm

It is an incomprehensible loss the parents suffered, losing four daughter and the husbands of their daughters, but my hope is that the grandchildren will be a reason to summon up the courage and strength to go on with their lives, and my hope is they have a strong support system around them (which seems to be the case).

It's possible that the husbands of the daughters have siblings, and perhaps those siblings will take in their nieces/nephews. Whatever the case, my heart goes out to all of them.

To think this tragedy may be the result of negligence rather than a horrible accident is truly salt in the wound, to put it mildly.

My sincere and heartfelt condolences to the surviving loved ones.

jmo

Any idea how many children are left behind?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Definitely not this Prestige Limousine Service: AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND FRIENDS - Prestige Limousine

 

[Jax49]

I'm afraid to ask.... do they have other children? Or did they just lose all of their children?

sff

I saw a reference to a brother, so it seems they have a least one surviving son. I'll update if I find out more info.

 

[cass523]

A video of the route taken by the ill fated limousine that crashed at Route 30A at Route 30.

Police explore whether negligence a factor in fatal Schoharie crash

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Has anyone found customer reviews for the limousine service? I've checked Yelp! and TripAdvisor and am not sure which Prestige Limo company is the one involved in this horrific crash. There are several limo services with same name in NY.

From what I have read Bette... the owner often changed the name. So it has had several names.

There was a link here about it and the several names the limo company has used.

 

[Isabelle]

A video of the route taken by the ill fated limousine that crashed at Route 30A at Route 30.

Police explore whether negligence a factor in fatal Schoharie crash

The stop sign is pretty well off to the right side, but anyone with one brain cell knows you better stop. I’m betting the brakes didn’t work and as the vehicle travelled down hill it gained speed, a lot considering what the weight of that vehicle was full of people. Just inconceivable!!!

 

[Isabelle]

From what I have read Bette... the owner often changed the name. So it has had several names.

There was a link here about it and the several names the limo company has used.

I remember one of the names was Hasy or similar, maybe Hassey.

 

[Satchie]

Wow so his father had harsh words for him, but the son ends up getting hired by him. Weird.

I was going into total conspiracy mode as I was thinking it was last week, but I corrected my post to say this week. Now it makes sense. But still it's strange..

ETA

And his other son was arrested for posing as an attorney. Got it.

Son of high-profile Albany lawyer pleads guilty to felony after posing as attorney on Staten Island

Have to remember the 'harsh words' were not Terence L. Kindlon's personal opinion, he was just doing his job in court, defending his clients who had been caught in a sting operation. Always, the defense in a sting case is to argue that the sting went too far and was really entrapment.

It does seem to me peculiar, though, that of all the lawyers that the limo owner could have hired in Albany, he'd choose the son of this other lawyer, who therefore likely knew all these details about him.

A couple thoughts come to mind: maybe Lee Kindlon reached out to Hussain and persuaded him to give him the case. It was probably easier for Hussain to hire a lawyer who knows the worst about him, so he doesn't have to waste time explaining it all, and the lawyer won't be blindsided. A good lawyer is like a personal guard dog, his job is to be loyal and protect his client, it doesn't matter whether the client is a nice person.

 

[DropthePuck]

I'm afraid to ask.... do they have other children? Or did they just lose all of their children?

They have 3 other children: 2 sons and 1 daughter. (Referring to the family that lost 4 daughters)

 

[mickey2942]

They have 3 other children: 2 sons and 1 daughter. (Referring to the family that lost 4 daughters)

Absolutely heartbreaking. I will tell you, not a dime or 50 million dollars would be worth that. Insurance money, for that type of crushing pain?

It reminds me of a saying that I frequently say, "If money can solve all of your problems, you really don't have any problems.".

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Limo company lawyer just did brief interview on CNN. Recent minor citations like door locks, windshield wipers, etc. were promptly repaired. According to the lawyer, vehicle was deemed road-worthy last week. Sounds to me like he's attempting to get ahead of the eventual NTSB report.

 

[Herat]

A video of the route taken by the ill fated limousine that crashed at Route 30A at Route 30.

Police explore whether negligence a factor in fatal Schoharie crash

The video is very interesting. I count 4 “No trucks allowed” signs up on the hill way before the descent. Then 3 signs warning of the grade just as the descent starts. A couple of curve signs. The speed looks like it’s posted as 50 mph and doesnt change. The ONLY STOP Ahead sign is on the steepest park not really far from the Stop sign and seems too late.

There is NO drop in the speed limit before the Stop. There is no flashing light. There seem to be multiple areas on the curves before the intersection is visible where I would certainly have been on my brakes to slow.

I have to think brake failure is going to be a large part of the causation, but poor signage and no drop in the speed limit will also be implicated

 

[crhedBngr]

A video of the route taken by the ill fated limousine that crashed at Route 30A at Route 30.

Police explore whether negligence a factor in fatal Schoharie crash

Wow, that last part of the drive goes downhill fast! I can see losing control of a vehicle if one isn't paying attention to one's driving!

 

[crhedBngr]

The video is very interesting. I count 4 “No trucks allowed” signs up on the hill way before the descent. Then 3 signs warning of the grade just as the descent starts. A couple of curve signs. The speed looks like it’s posted as 50 mph and doesnt change. The ONLY STOP Ahead sign is on the steepest park not really far from the Stop sign and seems too late.

There is NO drop in the speed limit before the Stop. There is no flashing light. There seem to be multiple areas on the curves before the intersection is visible where I would certainly have been on my brakes to slow.

I have to think brake failure is going to be a large part of the causation, but poor signage and no drop in the speed limit will also be implicated

Very, very well said.