Limo Driver Charged with Criminally Negligent Homicide in Quadruple Fatal Cutchogue Crash

NORTH FORK, NY: Update: Drivers involved in the fatal limo crash in Cutchogue that left four young women dead were arraigned today, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota.

Limo driver Carlos F. Pino pleaded not guilty to four charges of criminally negligent homicide, four counts of assault, failure to yield the right of way, reckless driving, turning at an intersection, failure to yield the right of way, failing to stay in a designated lane, and failing to file a required report upon an accident, Spota said. Cash bail was set at $50,000; bond at $100,000. His next court date is April 19, Spota said.

Steve Romeo of Peconic, who was driving the pickup that T–boned the limo pleaded not guilty to two counts of driving while intoxicated and one charge of driving while ability impaired by alcohol; he was released on his own recognizance, and his ext court date is April 26, Spota said.

Original story: The limo driver involved in last July's fatal crash, a "violent collision" in Cutchogue that left four young women dead and seriously injured four others has been indicted by a special grand jury and charged with criminally negligent homicide, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said Wednesday.

Carlos F. Pino, 58, of Old Bethpage, was arraigned at 2 p.m. Wednesday before State Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho on four charges of criminally negligent homicide, four counts of assault, failure to yield the right of way, reckless driving and other traffic infractions, Spota said.

Steven Romeo, 55, of Peconic, the driver of the truck that struck the limousine who was charged with DWI the day of the crash, will also be arraigned in Central Islip this afternoon before Camacho. The indictment charges Romeo with DWI and driving while ability impaired by alcohol.

However, at a press conference, Spota said according to the accident reconstruction, it was impossible for Romeo to have avoided the crash.

"If perfectly sober, Steven Romeo could not have avoided this crash. If intoxicated, Steven Romeo could not have avoided this crash," Spota said. "It was simply unavoidable from Romeo's perspective."

By law, because Romeo's alleged intoxication could not be linked to the crash, which was "unavoidable sober or drunk", he will not be indicted for vehicular homicide or criminally negligent homicide," Spota said.

According to data collected and analyzed from the reconstruction of the crash and witness accounts, including five additional witnesses who were at the intersection at the time of the crash, Spota said the investigation found Pino had “limited sight lines looking into westbound traffic” because a Jeep Liberty was positioned in the intersection waiting to turn left onto Depot Lane.

“The Jeep Liberty completely blocked the limo driver’s view of the oncoming traffic in the main travel lanes,” Spota said. “Despite the fact that the main westbound travel lanes were not visible, the limo driver, Carlos Pino, failed to take any precaution or any action to make sure he could safely enter the westbound travel lanes and he continued to make the U-turn.” Pino told police at the crash scene he did not see any traffic. There is no evidence that demonstrates he (Pino) ever came to a stop,” Spota said.

Because of the profile of the Jeep Liberty in the intersection, Romeo, the driver of the truck traveling at approximately 55 miles per hour westbound, did not see the limousine enter the intersection until he was approximately 200 feet away, effectively making a collision unavoidable, Spota said.

“Mr. Romeo had only 200 feet to react to the hazard he saw, and stop his vehicle. Traveling at 55 miles per hour, it would have taken 1.6 seconds to perceive the limo in his path, to realize he must apply his brakes, and then to begin braking. This would leave Romeo with even less distance —129 feet — to avoid a crash, impossible for him to do,” Spota said. “In fact our experts tell us that at 55 mph it would have taken anyone 263 feet to stop and avoid the crash.”

He added: “Romeo can be held criminally responsible for driving while intoxicated but he cannot be held criminally responsible for the crash. The person who is criminally responsible for the crash is Carlos Pino and Carlos Pino alone. Pino failed to take any precaution or action to make sure he could safely enter the westbound traffic lanes; he continued to attempt his U-turn without stopping. Because of his actions, he failed to see the Jeep Liberty in front of him, or Mr. Romeo’s pickup converging on the intersection.”

Spota said an exact replica of the limousine was used in the accident reconstruction.

The limousine, driven by Pino and owned by Ultimate Class Limousine, Inc., was transporting eight women passengers touring local wineries on July 18, 2015, Spota said; at approximately 5:11 p.m, the limo, while making a U-turn at the intersection of Route 48 and Depot Lane in Cutchogue, was broadsided by a pickup truck.

Brittney Schulman, 23, and Lauren Baruch, 24, both of Smithtown, Stephanie Belli, 23, of Kings Park, and Amy Grabina, 23, of Commack, all lost their lives.

Romeo was charged with DWI.

Injured in the accident were Joelle M. Dimonte, 25, of Ellwood, Melissa Angela Crai, 23, of Scarsdale, Alicia Arundel, 24, of Setauket, and Olga Lipets, 24, of Brooklyn.

After the tragic accident, many implored Suffolk County to install a traffic signal at the intersection of County Road 48 and Depot Lane.

But, despite the fact that a traffic signal was later installed on Depot Lane — no green lefthand turning arrow was installed, igniting an outcry from residents.

Recently, Suffolk County Legis. Al Krupski said a green turning arrow could be coming soon.

“There’s been lots of talk but nothing has happened formally yet,” he said.

Krupski said residents who feel a green turning arrow should be installed on the traffic signal should send written letters and emails to his office, to add to those that already been sent. Then, he said, the Suffolk County Department of Public Works will review the matter.

It’s possible to add a green turning arrow, Krupski said. ”We got it added in Mattituck, on Wickham Avenue,” he said.

Cutchogue resident Susan Tyler, who lives near the accident site, believes the turning arrow is critical: “Having a ‘yield on green’ means you are relying on the common sense and judgement of drivers, which, as we have seen, is severely lacking. It’s really no different than having no light at all. It makes no sense to me. If there were a green turn arrow, at least there would be no oncoming traffic for the morons driving over-sized vehicles who will continue to attempt U-turns that they shouldn’t be making.”

For years, Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley has said that limo drivers coming from vineyards make U-turns that are impossible due to the size of their vehicles, posing safety hazards.