Months after a crash killed 20 people in the nation’s deadliest auto collision since 2009, the owner of a limousine company in Wilton has been indicted on dozens of related criminal charges.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, 18 individuals inside the limo — including the driver — as well as two pedestrians were killed in the October crash. A medical examiner found each of the deaths was caused by blunt trauma.
Reports indicate driver Scott Lisinicchia was not properly licensed for the job and the vehicle he was operating had recently failed a safety inspection.
According to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Nauman Hussain was named in an indictment presented in Schoharie County Court this week. He was the operator of Prestige Limousine and now faces 20 counts of manslaughter in the second degree as well as 20 counts of criminally negligent homicide.
He had initially been charged with a single count of criminally negligent homicide, but the expanded indictment came after District Attorney Susan Mallery presented the prosecution’s evidence pertaining to each of the victims killed in the crash.
Defense attorney Lee Kindlon said his client intends to plead not guilty at an arraignment set for next week.
He called the indictment against Hussain “flawed” and “fundamentally at odds with itself,” going on to assert the defendant is “not guilty of criminal wrongdoing and we will fight for him every step of the way.”
Though she was unable to “discuss the process” of bringing the indictment against Hussain, Mallery said her office has “worked extremely hard for the last six months” in conjunction with state police.
[Featured image: AP Photo/Hans Pennink]
