A JUDGE has rejected the plea deal of a limousine company operator involved in a crash that killed 20 people during a birthday celebration. The 20 people were headed to a brewery for a 30th birthday party in 2018 when the 2001 Ford Excursion's brakes gave out and plunged them downhill at over 100 mph.
APNauman Hussain, 31, (pictured) broke down in court as his plea deal was rejected '/ '
Hussain will now go on trial for the deaths of 20 people after one of his company's limos crashedFacebook
Axel Steenburg (left) rented out the limo for his wife Amy's (right) 30th birthday partyFacebook The limo driver, 17 passengers, and two bystanders outside of the car died from the accident that happened in upstate New York in the town of Schoharie. Nauman Hussain, 31, the boss of Prestige Limousine, appeared before a judge on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to 20 counts of criminally negligent homicide. He already pleaded guilty to these charges in September of 2021 and has been serving a year of interim probation. Read more on car crashes
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MEG-A DROP US has 'all eyes on Kate' as Meghan's popularity drops after bombshell interview Hussain was supposed to be formally sentenced to five years of probation and 1,000 hours of community service on Wednesday. According to his plea deal, Hussain is also prohibited from owning, operating, or working for any commercial transportation business and his probation will not be terminated early. This agreement would've assured a resolution in a case that would have faced an uncertain outcome if it went to a trial with a jury, according to lawyers from both sides. ...FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED' However, the judge on Wednesday decided to reject the plea deal, which caught lawyers and victims' relatives off-guard. State Supreme Court Justice Peter Lynch who rejected the deal, called the agreement ...fundamentally flawed.... Most read in The US Sun BALENCI-ODD-A Kardashian fans spot 'missing' body part in Kim's new Balenciaga ad MORNING MADNESS GMA fans divided as hosts George & Michael reveal on-set 'arguing' EXTRA CASH I earn up to $720 a day with my side hustle and I don't have to talk to anyone 'mental collapse' Nurse, 37, 'suffered frightening breakdown before killing 6 in crash' PRICE HIKE I was 'ripped off' at the Walmart self-checkout - what to watch out for CHECK PLEASE Surprise bonus payments worth up to $1,658 going out to Americans Hussain was also initially charged with 20 counts of second-degree manslaughter. A state Department of Transportation out-of-service sticker was put on the limo a month before the crash, which state police recovered from Hussain's car after his arrest. Prosecutors argued that Hussain took the sticker off the limo so that he could still use the vehicle for limo rentals. State police said the limo should've been taken out of service because of brake issues that were found in an inspection a month before the crash. It was Judge Lynch's understanding that Hussain's action showed he knew of the risk that the limousine had to others and only pleading guilty to criminally negligent homicide did not reflect that. Lynch called the deal "completely disingenuous and unacceptable to this court." HUSSAIN'S DEFENSE Defense attorney Chad Seigel was taken aback by the judge's decision. He told the Associated Press that the defense team was "shocked" and that the judge's move was "unheard of." Seigel also said after the hearing that the sticker had "absolutely nothing to do with defective brakes.... Hussain's lawyers said that their client tried to maintain the limo and followed what state officials and a repair shop, that inspected the vehicle, said to him. However, the District Attorney's office said that Hussain allowed people to ride in the limo despite receiving "multiple notices of violations" from the state and being told that the repairs were inadequate. While the National Transportation Safety Board said that the crash was likely caused by the company's "egregious disregard for safety... that resulted in the brake failure, ineffective state oversight also contributed. HEARTBROKEN FAMILIES Family members of the victims were happily surprised by the judgment made, which was a bitter-sweet moment. "I can't even put into words how I feel. Totally unexpected. Thank God," Jill Richardson-Perez, the mother of limo crash victim Matthew Coons, told AP. "I'm in a better place now," she said. ...My son, my baby boy, was killed in a limo while trying to be safe,... Beth Muldoon, the mother of Adam Jackson, 34, who died alongside his wife, Abigail King Jackson, told FOX. The couple, who left behind two young children, had hopped in the stretch limo with the large group to avoid drinking and driving. ...Every day I try to wrap my head around this impossible situation,... Sheila McGarvey, whose son Shane McGowan, 30, and his wife, Erin, were killed in the crash, told the outlet. The families "have a hope for a bit of justice to be served in the future, where we didn't have any justice served in the past,... Kevin Cushing, whose son Patrick died in the crash, told AP. Axel Steenburg rented the limo for his wife Amy's 30th birthday. The group who attended ranged from ages 24 to 34 and included Axel's brother, Amy's three sisters and two of their husbands, and close friends. Once the limo's brakes failed, the vehicle blew through a stop sign and crashed into a small ravine. COMING BACK FOR MORE "Collectively, we made a decision that it would be in the best of all involved — not only our client but the members of the community — to put this matter behind them.... ...A little monkey wrench was thrown in that," Seigel said. "So the judge forced our hand and we're ready for trial." Judge Lynch gave Hussain the option of accepting a jail sentence of 16 months to four years or withdrawing his guilty plea. The defense decided to withdraw Hussain's guilty plea and will appear in court on September 14. Hussain will go out on bail, however, he will be subject to GPS monitoring. Read More on The US Sun
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GRUESOME SCENE Horror pics show bloody scene after woman, 25, shot dead while walking home District Attorney Susan Mallery left court without commenting, AP reported. Hussain declined to comment after the hearing, the outlet said.
