Families of victims, survivors of 2015 Cutchogue limo crash reach $6.1M settlement
CUTCHOGUE, Suffolk County (WABC) -- It's been eight years since four young women were killed in a stretch limousine crash on Long Island. Now, the families of the victims and the survivors of the crash have reached a $6.1 million settlement.
The lawsuit was against the limo company, the limo driver, the limo manufacturer, the driver of the other vehicle, and the Town of Southold.
On July 18, 2015, Carlos Pino, the driver of the limo carrying eight young women from Long Island, made a three-point U-turn at the intersection in Cutchogue. Steven Romeo, driving a pickup truck, crashed into the limo, killing four of the women.
They were not found criminally responsible.
Three of the victims -- Stephanie Belli, Brittney Schulman and Lauren Baruch -- had graduated from Smithtown. The fourth, Amy Grabina, graduated from Commack High School. The other four were severely injured in the crash but survived.
Ultimate Class Limousine Inc. and limo driver Pino are each required to pay $1.5 million. Romeo, the driver who hit the limo, and the company he co-owns, Romeo Dimon Marine Services Inc. of Southold, will pay $500,000.
The Town of Southold is responsible to pay $100,000 and the manufacturer of the 2007 Lincoln Town Car stretch limousine driven by Pino will pay the highest sum: $4 million.
A victim's family said to Eyewitness News Reporter Kristin Thorne that "The families are dismayed and disappointed that the County of Suffolk was dismissed and did not in good faith mediate with us and the above-mentioned parties. A traffic light was slated to be erected years before this tragedy and never was."
The families of the victims have been successful throughout the past several years in getting New York to pass some of the country's toughest limo safety regulations. They also helped to get the Safe Limo Act approved on the federal level.
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