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The man accused of homicide by criminal negligence in a fatal limousine accident had packed his own car when police arrested him, authorities said Thursday.
State police arrested Wednesday Nauman Hussain, 28 years old. He is the son of Shahed Hussain, owner of the limousine company that has been under scrutiny since the collapse of one of his vehicles in upstate New York, killing 20 people.
For unknown reasons, the 2001 Ford Excursion, operated by Prestige Limousine Chauffer Service, crossed a stop sign and crashed into an SUV parked in Schoharie, New York last Saturday. Seventeen passengers, who had rented the limousine for a brewery party on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary, and two pedestrians were killed. The limousine driver is also dead. The business owner, Shahed Hussain, is currently in Pakistan, the New York State police said.
Here's what we know about the limousine company and its owner:
The owner's son is now the subject of criminal charges
State police charged Nauman Hussain after arresting him at a roadside check. Schoharie District Attorney Susan Mallery confirmed to CNN that packaged bags had been found in her car, which helped her office argue by claiming during the bail hearing that presented a risk of flight.
Nauman Hussain must hand over his US and Pakistan passports, according to a criminal complaint. However, Hussain's lawyer stated that his client was a US citizen and did not have a Pakistani passport.
In his complaint against him, the defendant hired the driver Scott Lisinicchia, knowing that he did not have the appropriate license. The complaint also states that Nauman knew or ought to have known that the excursion had mechanical and safety defects, some of which affected the brakes.
Police said that he was an "operator" of the limo company.
"Nauman Hussain is solely responsible for the presence of this vehicle on the road Saturday," said Superintendent of State Police George Beach.
Lawyer Lee Kindlon, who represents Prestige Limousine Chauffer Service, said the young Hussain, who is also his client, is innocent. Kindlon said that Shahed Hussain was responsible for day-to-day operations, including maintenance. Nauman Hussain had "very little involvement" in the company; he managed a little marketing and booking and answered the phone, according to Kindlon.
Nauman Hussain pleaded not guilty to his appearance in the Schoharie City Court on Wednesday night, Kindlon told CNN's Spectrum News. According to Kindlon, he deposited a deposit of $ 150,000 and returned his US passport.
The owner was a paid informant of the FBI
Before Shahed Hussain owned the limousine company, the Pakistani national was an FBI informant, two sources told CNN. He became an FBI paid informant in 2007 after being found guilty of fraud while working as a translator for the Department of Motor Vehicles in Albany, New York State, according to the archives. Hussain worked in the Lower Hudson Valley in New York for the FBI and was responsible for locating Muslims likely to plotted against the United States, according to the archives.
Hussain attended services in a mosque in Newburgh, New York, under the direction of the FBI, in 2008, according to the archives. The FBI has installed a home in Hussain with concealed audio and video recording equipment, as well as audio equipment for its car. Hussain, who introduced himself as a wealthy Pakistani immigrant knowing the teachings of Islam, testified in at least one federal case, according to records.
Will the owner return to the United States?
Kindlon said that Shahed Hussain often travels to Pakistan on business.
"He's ready and able to come back when they need him," Kindlon said. "His heart is broken and his family's heart is broken. … All he can do to make it good, he will, and he is really sorry for everything that has happened.
The company said it removed its fleet from the road and the state police announced this week having seized three of its vehicles, in addition to the limo involved in the accident.
State of the Ford Excursion 2001
Shortly after the fatal accident, Governor Andrew Cuomo said the limousine had failed during a state inspection in September. The limousine, which had been modified, was not supposed to be on the road, and the driver – identified as Scott T. Lisinicchia, 53, of Lake George, New York – "did not have the driver's license to drive that vehicle. vehicle."
Lisinicchia worked for the Prestige chauffeured limousine service, as needed, according to Kindlon. CNN could not reach Lisinicchia's wife, Kim. The law firm she consulted with said that the family was asking for confidentiality.
Asked about state officials' claims that her husband did not have the proper license, she told CBS News, "I do not know what he's getting from it, because even though he did not have the appropriate license, that would have always happened. And I have the impression that he would have always been blamed.
Kindlon said the company had bought the limousine already modified a few years ago.
The State Department of Transportation conducted a periodic inspection last week and found "minor security breaches", including broken or faulty windshield wipers and a broken latch on a window, said Kindlon. Both problems were corrected and last week DOT stated that the limo "was in good condition and could drive it," he said.
The lawyer also challenged Governor Cuomo's statement that the tour had failed during the tour and that Lisinicchia did not have a proper license. The owner of the company thought that Lisinicchia had a proper license, Kindlon said. The company checked with DMV "several times" and told Lisinicchia that she had the right license, Kindlon said.
The state DOT approved the governor and the federal inspection records of September indicate that the car was deemed unfit to drive.
DOT spokesman Joe Morrissey said the claim that the limousine was allowed to travel on the road was "categorically wrong".
"The vehicle was inspected and the owner was warned not to drive it," he said. "The vehicle has been decommissioned."
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