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The operator of the limo company whose vehicle was involved in the fatal accident that killed 20 people Saturday in northern New York State was arrested and charged with negligent homicide criminal, the national police told NBC News.
Nauman Hussain, the Prestige Limousine operator, was arrested on Wednesday after a traffic stop, police from the state of New York said. He has been charged with a charge of homicide by criminal negligence, but the prosecution lists the 20 victims, police said.
Hussain's father, Shahed Hussain, owns Prestige Limousine, in Gansevort, New York State, according to the company's attorney. Earlier this week, police said Shahed Hussain – who was not charged – was in Pakistan at the time of the accident and said they did not have the power to ask Hussain to return to United States..
"Nauman Hussain is the only person responsible for the traffic of this vehicle on Saturday, said New York State Police Superintendent George Beach at a press conference held on Wednesday.
Lee Kindon, of Kindon's law firm, who represents Prestige Limousine, said at a separate press conference after his arrest that state police had "jumped on the flank" in accusing his customer, adding that Nauman had helped his father run the business, Shahed Hussain ran the company's day-to-day operations and held the bank accounts.
"He's terrified, he has not eaten for three days, he has not slept in three days," Kindon told Nauman. "He has the eyes of the world watching him because they want someone to be blamed. He has received death threats."
The accident occurred on Saturday afternoon when the driver of the 2001 Ford Excursion failed to stop at an intersection in Schoharie, New York, and crashed. is engulfed in a parking lot before striking an unoccupied SUV, striking pedestrians, authorities said. Twenty people, including the tour operator and two pedestrians, were killed.
On Monday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the limo had failed during an inspection last month and that it should not have been on the road. Cuomo also said the driver, Scott Lisinicchia, 53, did not have the specific documentation – a commercial driver's license with passenger mention – needed to drive the limousine.
NBC News obtained documents showing that the limousine had been cited many times for safety violations, including "out of service brakes".
The quote for the breaks, which was issued after a March 21 inspection, indicated that 20% or more of the braking power of the "stretch" limo of about five tonnes was compromised.
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