Trial of limo operator in Schoharie crash still in limbo

SCHOHARIE - The trial of Nauman Hussain, the only person to face criminal charges in the 2018 limousine crash in Schoharie that killed 20 people, is still on hold.

Hussain, 31, who operated the Saratoga County limo company that owned the 31-foot stretch Ford Excursion involved in the crash, was indicted in April 2019 by a Schoharie County grand jury on charges of felony manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

Hussain family wants restrictions on property lifted

Judge: Pakistani tycoon must give evidence to families of Schoharie limo crash victims

Limo crash prosecution in limbo

More talks but no deal in Schoharie limo case

Complete limo crash coverage

Hussain's trial was supposed to take place in May of last year, although it was postponed indefinitely like other criminal trials and court activities across the state due to the pandemic.

And although courthouses across New York have been resuming some activities as the pandemic appears to be waning amid a major vaccination campaign and falling hospitalization rates - the Schoharie County Courthouse where Hussain's trial would take place can't resume jury trials anytime soon due to current COVID-19 restrictions.

"Unfortunately I can’t give you a date of when that will happen, but I can tell you it won’t be before the end of March," Schoharie County Court Clerk Lauren Clemenzi said recently.

It's unclear if New York will allow for more widespread court activities or even jury trials by April. Some jury trials in New York City resumed last year only to be put on hold again when the winter surge of coronaviris cases happened.

Neither Schoharie County District Attorney Susan Mallery nor Hussain's criminal attorney Lee Kindlon responded to requests for comment Friday.

Hussain, who has pleaded not guilty, was accused by Mallery of knowingly renting out the Excursion after the illegal limo was deemed unsafe by state Department of Transportation investigators and ordered off the road twice during the months leading up to the crash.

Prosecutors also allege Hussain knew that Scott Lisinicchia, who was at the wheel during the Oct. 6, 2018 crash, was not licensed to drive such a large limo.

Hussain is free on bond, although he must wear an ankle monitor. He is reportedly living outside the region as he awaits trial after having received death threats. He is facing a mountain of civil lawsuits from the families of the victims as well as creditors who are foreclosing on some of his rental properties and a credit card company.

Lisinicchia, like his 17 passengers that day in 2018, died in the crash, which took place in the parking lot of a popular restaurant and gift store in Schoharie called the Apple Barrel Country Store.

The limo had been winding down a steep section of Route 30 after having departed from Amsterdam earlier that day when its brakes failed and while estimated to be moving at 100 mph blew through a stop sign at the junction with Route 30A where the Apple Barrel is located.

The limo crashed into a car sitting in the restaurant's parking lot - killing two bystanders visiting from Cayuga County - and then slammed into a ditch. All 18 aboard died, including Lisinicchia, who had tried so desperately to stop the Excursion amid catastrophic brake failure that the pattern from the soles of his loafers were permanently imprinted on what was left of the limo's brake pad.