Limousine crashes in New York killing 20

[Mountaineer95]

Judge nixes no-prison deal in 2018 limo crash that killed 20

A judge rejected a plea agreement that would have meant no prison time for the operator of a limousine company involved in a crash that killed 20 people in upstate New York.

apnews.com

Based on what I’ve read concerning the DA involved in this case (much more info at the above link I shared), I’m not surprised that she cut a deal with him for NO jail time. Glad the judge found that as ludicrous as everyone else does. I’m not sure how this DA is still in office, frankly.

Post automatically merged: Sep 1, 2022

Deceleration forces,maybe?

The limo was doing some 50 miles an hour until it went into the ravine, where it suddenly stopped. The passengers, not being belted in, continued moving at 50 mph until they struck something or somebody that stopped them, also suddenly. Remember, acceleration is change in velocity divided by change in time, so the greater the change in velocity or the less time it takes the greater the acceleration is.

Crumple zones at the front and rear of an automobile are designed to increase the time it takes to come to a stop. I gather that the modification of the Expedition into a limo was not sanctioned by Ford so the crumple zones may well have been inadequately resistive for the increased weight of the vehicle, which would allow them to collapse faster and impose greater acceleration upon the occupants.

--Al

Hey Alf, I know your comment is from several years ago; I commented today on this thread to provide links to the NTSB full report and docket…according to the NTSB, the limo was traveling at least 110 MPH when it struck the SUV (and I don’t recall exactly but maybe 80 MPH when it hit the ditch). The deceleration forces would have been severe at 110 MPH. Plus, with so many people inside, they not only struck the interior components of the limo but also one another.

 

[Mountaineer95]

In the official NTSB report, they address the “investigative constraints” early on in the official document. I’ve read many of their investigations and have never seen anything like this. Here is the text of how they first addressed the issue (from the official report):

“Investigative Constraints

The New York State Police and the Schoharie County District Attorney’s Office are conducting a criminal investigation of this crash. These state entities (particularly the District Attorney’s Office) denied the NTSB timely access to the crash vehicles and related information that would have allowed the NTSB to follow its usual investigative protocols. The involved motor carrier, Prestige Limousine, would not permit access to its records, maintenance history, some witnesses, and other investigative material. These impediments delayed and complicated the NTSB’s investigation, but they did not affect its quality, as investigators used the factual information collected and developed alternative methodologies to complete an accurate investigation. In particular, to compensate for the District Attorney and state police denying our timely access to vehicle and braking components for any actions other than a visual inspection, the NTSB contracted an independent testing firm to conduct performance-based testing to examine the braking performance of a Ford Excursion SUV at the original manufacture gross vehicle weight rating and at the weight of the stretch limousine at the time of the crash. The testing included brake dynamometer testing to simulate braking performance over the route the crash vehicle traveled. The testing was instrumental to understanding factors relevant to the crash.”

 

[Crazy Cat Lady]

Limo operator sentenced to 5 to 15 years in crash that killed 20 people​

Nauman Hussain was found guilty of 20 counts of second-degree manslaughter earlier this month.

Hussain was sentenced to five to 15 years in prison for each count of second-degree manslaughter, however, the terms will run concurrently for a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Hussain pleaded guilty to 20 counts of criminally negligent homicide in 2021, but the case went to trial after a judge threw out a plea deal reached with Schoharie County prosecutors last fall that would have spared him a prison sentence.

The limo had failed an inspection by the state's Department of Motor Vehicles one month before the deadly crash and the driver did not have the appropriate driver's license to be operating the vehicle, officials said at the time.

A report by National Transportation Safety Board investigators in 2020 found that one of the brakes was not operational.

After he was found guilty, Hussain's lawyer said they plan to appeal the verdict.

MSN

www.msn.com