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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 9 OcTOber 2018

Governor: Limo that crashed shouldn't have been on the road

By MICHAEL HILL and SA- the necessary commercial
BRINA CASERTA license, the limo had been
Associated Press cut apart and lengthened
SCHOHARIE, N.Y. (AP) — in a way Cuomo said vio-
The supersized limousine lated federal law, and the
that crashed and killed 20 vehicle failed a state in-
people outside a coun- spection that examined
try store failed a safety in- such things as the chassis,
spection last month and suspension and brakes.
shouldn't have been on the "In my opinion, the owner
road, and the driver wasn't of this company had no
properly licensed, New business putting a failed ve-
York's governor said Mon- hicle on the road," the gov-
day. ernor said while attending
The state moved to shut a Columbus Day Parade
down the owner, Prestige in New York City. "Prestige
Limousine, as state and has a lot of questions to an-
federal authorities investi- swer."
gated the cause of Satur- A call to Prestige Limou-
day's wreck in Schoharie. sine's office in Gansevoort
The crash about 170 miles went unanswered. Federal
north of New York City records show the com-
came three years after an- pany has undergone five
other deadly stretch-limo inspections in the past two Schoharie County Sheriff Ronald Stevens,left, New York State Sen. James Seward ,center, and Rep.
wreck in New York state years and had four vehicles John Faso, R-N.Y.,speak to reporters at the scene of Saturday's fatal limousine crash in Schoharie,
spurred calls for Gov. An- pulled from service. N.Y., Monday, Oct. 8, 2018.
drew Cuomo to examine The limousine, built from a Associated Press
such vehicles' safety. It was 2001 Ford Excursion, ran a
not clear whether the state stop sign at an T-shaped A vigil was planned Mon- and accessible emergency in Saturday's crash was al-
took any steps to do so. intersection at the bottom day night in Amsterdam, exits. tered by one of those com-
As victims' relatives tried of a hill and slammed into where some victims lived. There are few federal regu- panies.
to come to grips with the an unoccupied SUV at the The crash appeared to be lations governing limos that There were 12 wrecks —
tragedy that happened as Apple Barrel Country Store the deadliest land-vehicle have been modified after and a dozen crash deaths
a group of friends and fam- and Cafe, a popular stop accident in the U.S. since leaving the factory. Regu- — involving large limos from
ily were on their way to a for autumn leaf-peepers. a bus full of Texas nurs- lations often vary by state 2012 to 2016, according to
30th birthday celebration, The wreck killed two pe- ing home patients flee- and even local govern- the National Highway Traf-
authorities had yet to say destrians and all 18 people ing 2005's Hurricane Rita ments. fic Safety Administration.
how fast the limo was go- in the limousine, includ- caught fire, killing 23. Sat- "It certainly is the Wild West That compares with over
ing, whether its occupants ing four sisters who were urday's wreck was the na- out there when it comes to 157,000 crashes and over
wore seat belts or what headed with friends and tion's deadliest transporta- limousines and stretch ve- 171,000 deaths involving
caused the vehicle to run a relatives to a brewery for a tion accident of any kind hicles," said National Safety all types of vehicles during
stop sign. party for one of the sisters. since a 2009 plane crash Council CEO Deborah A.P. that period.
Investigators were con- The four sisters' aunt, Barba- near Buffalo, New York, Hersman, who would like to But some big-limo wrecks
ducting autopsies, includ- ra Douglas, said they had killed 50 people. see uniform state limousine caught the public's atten-
ing on the driver, to see if felt "they did the respon- Limousines built in factories regulations across the na- tion and prompted pleas
drugs or alcohol were fac- sible thing getting a limo so are required to meet strin- tion. for more oversight.
tors, and the National Trans- they wouldn't have to drive gent safety regulations. But Ford said it has never made Five women out for a bach-
portation Safety Board was anywhere." luxury cars that have been its own stretch version of elorette party were killed in
also looking into whether "My heart is sunken. It's in a converted to limos like the the Excursion SUV. The au- 2013 when their stretch limo
the limo had any mechani- place where I've never felt one in Saturday's crash tomaker has a program caught fire in Northern Cali-
cal problems. this type of pain before," often lack certain safety that certifies companies fornia because of friction
But officials already saw said Karina Halse, who components, such as side- that modify vehicles to Ford between the drive shaft
some red flags, Cuomo lost her 26-year-old sister impact air bags, reinforced specifications, but it was and the rear floorboard.q
said: The driver didn't have Amanda. rollover protection bars unclear whether the limo