The former operator of a New York limousine company who was convicted of manslaughter in a deadly 2018 crash was sentenced to at least five years in prison Wednesday.
Twenty people died in the crash in Schoharie, in upstate New York, on Oct. 6, 2018.
Nauman Hussain, the operator of the company the limo was rented from, Prestige Limousine, was convicted of manslaughter on May 17.
Judge Peter Lynch on Wednesday sentenced Hussain to an indeterminate sentence of at least five years and a maximum of 15 years in prison. Hussain, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, made no comments and walked with his head down after he was sentenced.
“There’s a sense of relief that we got through a long journey,” Kevin Cushing, whose 31-year-old son, Patrick Cushing, was killed in the crash, told reporters, adding that there could be an appeal. “We know that we’re not finished, but this was a great step forward for the families.”
Hussain’s attorney said they an appeal is planned, NBC affiliate WNYT of Albany reported.
Lynch, the judge, rejected a proposed plea deal last year that would have spared Hussain from serving prison time.
The driver, all 17 passengers and two pedestrians died when the 2001 Ford Excursion stretch limousine crashed in Schoharie, a city of a little more than 29,000 around 30 miles west of Albany.
A group of friends had rented the limo for a surprise party. It crashed after its brakes failed to slow it on a hill, investigators said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said the limo company’s “egregious disregard for safety” led to the brake failure and the crash. The vehicle reached a speed of more than 100 mph on the steep hill before it crashed.
The NTSB also blamed poor oversight by the state Transportation Department.
It said that the Transportation Department's oversight was ineffective and that it knew of Prestige’s multiple out-of-service violations. The department also failed to properly register the limo, which allowed the company to evade safety and inspection requirements, it said.
New York changed its laws regarding commercial vehicle safety after the tragedy.
Cushing told reporters his son was a sportsman who wanted life to be fair. Patrick Cushing’s girlfriend and some of his best friends also died in the crash.
“Things happen in life where it isn’t fair,” Cushing said. “In this case, this certainly wasn’t fair to the 20 individuals who lost their lives.”