Limo Accident Kills 4 Long Island, NY

What was supposed to be a happy birthday celebration among eight young women, ended in the tragic fatal loss of 4 of the women, in a horrific limo accident in Long Island over this last weekend.

Eight young women in their mid-twenties, rented a limo, to celebrating, a happy occasion , that ended in death.

Families, friends, and people across the country are mourning the Loss of 4 Young Lives. The victims, Brittney Schulman, 23, and Lauren Baruch, 24, both of Smithtown, Amy Grabina, 23, of Commack and Stephanie Belli, 23, of Kings Park died in the crash near Vineyard Route 48 in Cutchogue, according to authorities.

Driver pleads not guilty after hen party limo crash which killed four bridesmaids.

The injured surviving women in the limo were Olga Lipets of Brooklyn, Joelle Dimonte, 25, of Elwood, Melissa Crai, 23, of Scarsdale and Alicia Arundel, 24, of Setauket, officials said.

Their driver of the limo , 58-year-old Carlos Pino of Bethpage, employed by Ultimate Class Limousine, was allegedly making an illegal U turn at the time of the crash, was hospitalized as well.

Meanwhile, the accused drunken driver whose truck struck the limo was ordered held on $500,000 bail.

Steve Romeo, 55, the accused drunk driver was charged with a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated in the T-bone collision late Saturday afternoon.

Pickup driver who ran into limo, killing 4 women, drank beer before crash.

Reports indicate that Romeo tried to flee the crash scene on foot by jumping an embankment, while being pursued by police and ultimately captured.

Remeo was arraigned in his hospital bed at Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport.

The women in the limo had hired the limo so they could the could all drink responsibly while visiting Long Island Vineyards in North Fork.

The limo was struck broadside, and nearly split in half, when a Steve Romeo’s red pick-up truck struck the limo on Route 48 on Saturday around 5:15.

New York car accident attorney, Paul Ajlouny weighs in on this devastating limo accident.  “These young women did something that many people around the country do, they went wine tasting.  They hired a limo so as not to drive themselves while drinking, they did the right thing.” States Mr. Ajlouny.

“Sadly, we all can’t stop living our lives. No one is safe when there’s a drunk driver on the road. Romeo’s reckless, dangerous act of driving under the influence, took the precious lives of these beautiful young women. When will it stop! Our prayers go out to the victims, their families and friends left behind to grieve this heart-wrenching loss. To experience the loss of a loved one so young is a nightmare no parent should have to endure.” says Mr. Ajlouny.

Drunk Driving Statistics In New York

Drunk driving fatalities (.08 BAC or higher): 364 representing 30.4% of all total traffic deaths, a 7.1% increase from last year.

Alcohol related crash injuries (.01 BAC or higher): 6,019

Alcohol related crashes (.01 BAC or higher): 8,368

Source: Mothers Against Drunk Driving

UPDATE

The driver of the truck that t-boned a limousine, killing four young women celebrating a birthday, was arraigned from his hospital bed on a charge of driving while intoxicated, according to authorities. Steven Romeo, 58, of Bethpage, was arraigned at Eastern Long Island Hospital and ordered held on $1 million bond, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.