Exclusive: Mother of limo crash victim plans charity 5k
SMITHTOWN, Long Island (WABC) -- For the first time since a horrible limo crash killed her daughter and three other young women on Long Island, Felicia Baruch is speaking to the media - and for a good cause.
Lauren Baruch, Stephanie Belli, Brittney Schulman and Amy Grabina died in July 2015 in Cutchogue when a pickup truck collided with a limousine carrying the woman and four friends after a trip to a nearby winery.
The driver of a pickup truck had been charged with DWI, but prosecutors admitted they didn't have enough evidence to prove he was drunk at the time. He pleaded guilty to lesser charges in 2017.
Felicia Baruch is still trying to make sense of why her daughter and three friends died, so she decided to act.
"I don't believe that it happened for not a reason," Baruch told Eyewitness News reporter Kristin Thorne, who sat down exclusively with Baruch at her home in Smithtown. "It happened for a reason and maybe this is the reason."
Baruch is organizing a 5K event called "Running 4 Our Angels" to be held in April to raise money for the foundations and scholarships in the names of each of the victims.
These include the Amy Rose Grabina Foundation, the Stephanie Belli Whisperette Scholarship, scholarships to be given out by the Schulman family and Baruch's own Lawzie Marigold Foundation, which distributes college scholarships to Smithtown high school students.
"The one good thing I know about people, I love that they all come together when they have to and I see that with this," Baruch said.
Susan Arundel is the secretary for the Lawzie Marigold Foundation and is helping Baruch organize the event. Her daughter Alicia Arundel survived the crash.
"I'm just hoping that it brings some healing to a lot of people because I feel that, even part of the community, there are people out there who feel so terrible about it," Arundel said.
"Running 4 Our Angels" will be held Sunday April 8 at Smithtown High School West, where Lauren Baruch attended high school.
Representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, The American Automobile Association and Parents for Safe Streets will be present to speak with participants about road and limousine safety.
To learn more about the event or to sign up visit, click here.
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