Dad Of Woman Killed In North Fork Limo Crash Speaks On New Horror

NORTH FORK, NY — The agony and grief surrounding Saturday's horrific limo crash that left 20 dead in Schoharie is all too familiar to the parents of the four young women killed in the North Fork limousine crash in 2015 that left their lives irrevocably shattered.

After the most recent crash, the entire North Fork can't help but remember that dark day in July, 2015. One woman wrote on social media, reflecting what so many have been thinking: "It happened again."

And now, the parents of the young women killed in 2015, who have spent years crying out for limousine regulations, are adding their voices to that of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said Monday that Saturday's limo should never have been on the road at all, because it had failed a New York State Department of Transportation inspection just a month ago.

The most recent horror unfolded just before 2 p.m. Saturday, when the 2001 Ford Excursion SUV stretch limousine was traveling in a southwestern direction on State Route 30 and ran a stop sign at the intersection with State Route 30A. The modified SUV plowed across the intersection into the parking lot of the Apple Barrel Country store and struck a parked Toyota Highlander. The Highlander then struck and killed two people standing nearby.

New York State police said it was not yet clear whether the brakes failed or whether the driver was speeding.

But according to Paul Shulman, whose daughter Brittney Shulman, 23, was one of four young women, including Stephanie Belli, 23, Amy Grabina, 23, and Lauren Baruch, 24, killed in the horrific Cutchogue limo crash on July, 18 2015, said the most recent crash never should have have happened — and much-needed critical reforms have not yet taken place.

"To see something this tragic brings back bad memories of that day and to see what we have been advocating for, to save lives, totally disregarded — to allow this to happen just tears me up inside, when both accidents could have been avoided if the changes we are looking to make, were law," Shulman told Patch Monday.

In 2017, Shulman and the other parents also led the "Lauren, Amy, Brittney, Stephanie," or LABS, petition. The parents organized "so no other family has to walk in our shoes," he said. LABS, he said, is a petition to "bring awareness and justice to the horrific event that occurred."

And on Monday, Shulman said all the cries for change have tragically gone unheard: "The construction of limos for safety standards need to be adhered to, such as steel reinforced bras on the doors. There was one on my daughter's limo, but it was placed lower than where it was hit — no airbags or seat belts." Shulman said protocol needs to be followed to ensure limo companies abide by safety standards and there should be federal mandates; limo drivers, he said, need to have CDL licenses, not a Class E with a P endorsement.

"This is what we have been advocating for," Shulman said. "Hopefully, with Rep. Lee Zeldin's and Sen. John Flanagan's help, we can accomplish those goals. Also, no limo or larger vehicle should be allowed to make a U-turn anywhere in New York State."

The 2015 crash took place at the intersection of County Road 48 and Depot Lane, "when the driver of a stretch limousine made a U-turn on a double lane road where no signal was indicated for oncoming traffic. As the driver made the U-turn, an oncoming driver with limited time to react, collided with the limousine, which ended in complete disarray," the petition stated. "A day in which eight women decided to be safe and take what was supposed to be safe and reliable transportation, turned into the complete opposite. . . Eight women went to the wineries for a fun, exciting day, and only four came home . . . only to begin what will be the toughest journey of their lives."

Urging changes

The years since that dark day have been filled with pain and grief for the heartbroken families left behind.

"It is still a struggle to come to a decision on who is held responsible for this accident," the petition says. "Every single day, the families, friends, loved ones, and unrelated individuals are reminded of the accident and the details involving the loss of four beautiful women. This petition is to advocate not only for Lauren, Amy, Brittney, and Stephanie, but for anyone who considers limousines as a reliable transportation option."

The parents, with an eye toward preventing future tragedies, list a number of points they believe can save lives. To view that petition, click here.

The bereft parents make critical points, stating that limousines should not be permitted to make U-Turns and turning arrows for vehicles on either side of the road so oncoming traffic, while at a stop, remains as signals alert turning vehicles to proceed.

If a limousine makes a U-Turn and is struck by another vehicle resulting in the death or injury of its occupants, the driver should be held criminally, or otherwise, responsible if the crash was as a result of the U-turn, the parents believe. All signage at the site of County Road 48, where the 2015 crash occurred should reflect that U turns made by limousines and other large modes of transportation are illegal and will be consequential if attempted, they said.

In addition, the parents said, limousine drivers should be mandated to a comprehensive training program to include practical examination, along with written examination upon successful completion of courses on specific operations of the vehicle — there is currently no formal training for limousine driver safety awareness, they said.

The internal/external structure of a limousine should meet the federal standards that all other vehicles meet for safety regulations; the entire structure of the vehicle should be examined and specifications for stringent safety engineering should apply and conform to federal safety standards, the parents said. And additionally, they believe seat belts should be instituted and used in limousines as they are in other vehicles.

"Precedence for limousine accidents should be set forth by the events of July 15, 2015, and guidelines for proceedings should adhere to the events of that specific crash,whenever possible from this point in time going further," the parents said in the petition.

And, they are unified in their cry for a green turning arrow at the traffic signal, despite the fact that Suffolk County has not yet installed one — and have said there is no present plans to do so.

Community cloaked in mourning

Faded photographs and flowers have, for years, marked the spot where the four young women died after their limo was T-boned in the horrific crash more than three years ago.

The North Fork community has long been cloaked in mourning since the crash, with many residents echoing similar thoughts about how the memories of the worst tragedy they've ever witnessed, continue to haunt.

The limousine, driven by Pino and owned by Ultimate Class Limousine, Inc., was transporting the young women touring local wineries on July 18, 2015, former Suffolk County District Attorney

Thomas 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 driven by Steven Romeo.

Spota said the DA's office planned to appeal the decision of a judge to throw out the indictment and dismiss charges against Pino.

Romeo pleaded guilty to driving while impaired in April, 2017.

A day that haunts

On the morning of July 18, 2015, eight young women "hired a limousine to spend a fun filled day on the North Fork of Long Island for wine tasting," Baruch wrote. "As you know or may not know, only four young ladies made it home — Lauren, Amy, Brittney and Stephanie did not. They were taken from us in a horrific limousine crash."

Each of the four families has chosen to honor their daughter by giving yearly scholarships to worthy students.

After the deadly 2015 crash, a 156-page New York Supreme Court Suffolk County Special Grand Jury Report was released in Dec. 2016,with recommendations discussed at a press conference convened by then-Suffolk County District Attorney Spota.

"You see these eight beautiful babies? The way I'm leaving them with you, I want them back."

Those were the heartbreaking words Felicia Baruch uttered to limo driver Carlos Pino before a horrific limo crash in July, 2015 in Cutchogue that took the life of her daughter Lauren and three other young women, and left four others gravely injured.

The words were revealed as part of the special grand jury report

Findings indicated that the grand jury would like to see U-turns by modified or stretch limos banned in Suffolk County and New York State, enhanced driver certification requirements, and a new traffic light at County Road 48 with a green turning arrow with a red phase for both eastbound and westbound traffic.

The "lack of regulations" regarding stretch limos was cited, as was the "inadequate traffic light" at County Road 48 and Depot Lane, Spota said.

"There's nothing but a fine line between a stretch limousine and a hearse."

Spota prophetically said something needed to be done so that an similar accident would never happen again. "There's nothing but a fine line between a stretch limousine and a hearse," he said.

Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley said in the months since the accident, with limos still making U turns and buses and limos carrying crowds out to local wineries, concerns still exist.
"The problem is not going away," Flatley said.

Special grand jury report

After a year-long, comprehensive investigation including the testimony of four dozen witnesses and the review of thousands of documents, the grand jury produced the report, detailing the circumstances that led to the fatalities, a release from Spota's office said.

The grand jury's findings say "there is a complete lack of regulation of stretch limousine construction, and the existence — to this day — of an inadequate traffic light at the historically dangerous intersection of County Road 48 and Depot Lane in Cutchogue," the release said.

Photos of the limousine wreckage and a photo of a new stretch limousine's "woefully inadequate 'anti-intrusion bar' installed to 'protect passengers'" were featured.

An intrusion bar aimed to protect side impacts to passengers "did absolutely no good" and offered no protection for the young women, Spota said. The rod was "woefully inadequate and unacceptable," the report determined, with the force of impact knocking it right off the side of the limo.

The DA said when a company aims to create a limo, it buys a vehicle such as a Lincoln town car, pulls it apart, and adds a middle section of up to 10 feet. But there are weight restrictions of 7,500 lbs., he said, so oftentimes features such as the front seat, the spare tire and the jack are left out so the weight will fall under guidelines.

"The more passengers you can fit in, the more the end buyer can charge to rent the limo. Money, that's what this is all about," Spota said. "There's constant battle to minimize or modify the vehicle' s weight."

In addition, he said, every vehicle is supposed to be crash tested. "No such test was ever performed on the limo these girls perished in," he said.

Both the limo builder and the purchaser said they believed it was the other's responsibility to ensure such testing was done.

In addition, Spota said, such large limos are simply incapable of making a U-turn on a road such as County Road 48. The limo should ideally be able to turn into the left lane but cannot even turn into the right since the vehicle is so large.

"Eight young women and their families thought they were being careful" in hiring a limo, Spota said. But instead, "They didn't know they were putting their trust in a vehicle that was untested, unregulated and potentially deadly."

Special grand jury report recommendations

"On July 18, 2015, four women were cut down in the prime of their young lives," the report states. "The following recommendations will do nothing to bring these women back to their families. If nothing changes, however, there is bound to be another tragedy at the intersection of County Road 48 and Depot Lane."

Among the 24 recommendations by the special grand jury included suggestions stating that:
Legislative

• The New York State Legislature should modify the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law to prohibit modified or stretch limousines, with total occupancy capacities of nine or more including nine or more including the driver, from making U turns on all of the roadways of the state.

• The Suffolk County Legislature should prohibit U-turns by modified or stretch limousines within the county's borders or, in the alternative, on the county's roads.
• The Suffolk County Legislature should prohibit U-turns by all commercial vehicles on the roadways of Suffolk County.
• The Southold Town board should prohibit U-turns by modified or or stretch limousines within the town's borders, or, in the alternative, on town roads.
• The New York State Legislature should modify New York State Department of Transportation Bus & Passenger Vehicle Regulations. . . to include stretch or modified limousines, with occupancy capacities of nine or more including the driver, to fall under the definition of "bus."
• The New York State Legislature should modify Article 19-A of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law to extend all driver certification requirements, including vehicle specific road tests, to stretch or modified limousines who operate vehicles with total occupant capacities of nine or more.
• The Suffolk County Legislature should create a statutory scheme to make the Suffolk County Taxi and Limousine Commission an independent entity within the Suffolk County government, rather than a part of the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing, and Consumer Affairs.
• The Suffolk County Legislature should appropriate monies to ensure the independence and operation of the Suffolk County Taxi and Limousine Commission, enabling the Commission to employ investigators and expand its regulatory reach.
• The New York State Legislature should modify the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law to require all passengers in the rear compartment of a stretch vehicle to fasten their seat belts and keep them fastened while the vehicle is in motion.
• The New York State Legislature should modify New York State Penal Law. . .the definition of "criminal negligence" to expressly apply to professional drivers, who, in the course of their for-hire activities, cause fatalities in motor vehicle crashes where the professional driver is at fault.
• The New York State Legislature should modify the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law with respect to holders of commercial driver licenses actively engaged in for-hire activities by holding the drivers strictly liable for the personal injury, serious physical injury, or death of the drivers' passengers resulting from the drivers' negligent operation of such a vehicle. Such negligence would expressly include unreasonable
• speed, failure to yield right of way, improper U-turns, failure to obey traffic control devices, and/or the operation of a motor vehicle in violation of New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 1212.
• The New York State Legislature should modify the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law to raise the minimum age of a Class E driver license holder to 25.

Executive

• The Governor of the State of New York should introduce legislation consistent with the legislative recommendations in this report or, in the alternative, he should support legislation introduced by others. The Governor should commit appropriate budgetary resources necessary to implement the legislative recommendations including appropriating additional resources to law enforcement.
• The Suffolk County Executive should introduce legislation consistent with the legislative recommendations in this report or, in the alternative, he should support legislation introduced by others. The County Executive should commit appropriate budgetary resources necessary to implement the legislative recommendations including appropriating additional resources to law enforcement.
• The Southold Town supervisor should introduce legislation consistent with the legislative recommendations in this report or, in the alternative, he should support legislation introduced by others. The Town Supervisor should commit appropriate budgetary resources necessary to implement the legislative recommendations including appropriating additional resources to law enforcement.
• The Governor of the State of New York should create a task force in conjunction with limousine industry officials and community groups to study the safety of stretch limousines, including the feasibility of requiring multiple anti-intrusion bars in stretch limousine side panels, and report its findings to the National Transportation Safety Board.
• The Suffolk County Executive should create a task force in conjunction with limousine industry officials and community groups to study the safety of stretch limousines, including the feasibility of requiring multiple anti-intrusion bars in stretch limousine side panels, and report its findings to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Administrative

• State and local agencies affected by the changes implied in the legislative recommendations should be given the necessary authority to adopt administrative rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementation and execution of the legislative recommendations.
• The Suffolk County Department of Public Works should conduct a priority study of intersections where there have occurred motor vehicle crashes involving high occupancy vehicles and multiple fatalities.
• The Suffolk County Department of Public Works should modify the existing traffic light at County Road 48 and Depot Lane to include a protected left turn (green arrow with a red phase) for both eastbound and westbound traffic.
• The Suffolk County Taxi and Limousine Commission should require owners of registered stretch limousines to report the name of the company that modified the vehicles to the Commission.
• The Suffolk County Taxi and Limousine Commission should require evidence of an in-house driver training program when registering more than one stretch limousine for a particular owner or company.
• The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles should complete all administrative actions necessary to support the raising of the minimum age of a Class E driver license holder to 25.
• The Suffolk County Taxi and Limousine Commission should raise the minimum
• age of its TLC driver license holders to 25.

Patch photo by Lisa Finn.