Limo driver to be charged in Long Island crash that killed four women

The driver behind the wheel of the limousine involved in a fatal Long Island crash last year that left four women dead — and four others injured — is facing criminal charges Wednesday afternoon, according to reports.

Carlos Pino, 58, is set to be arraigned in court on four charges of criminally negligent homicide, four counts of assault, failure to yield the right of way, reckless driving and other traffic violations, CBS2 New York reported.

On July 18, eight friends were in Pino’s limousine after finishing touring local wineries for a friend’s birthday when a pickup truck crashed into the vehicle, which had been making a U-turn at the time, according to CBS2.

Brittney Schulman, 23, Lauren Baruch, 24, Stephanie Belli, 23, and Amy Grabina, 23, were killed in the accident, the New York Post reported. The four other women in the limo were injured.

The only individual previously charged in the crash was the pickup truck’s driver, 55-year-old Steven Romeo, according to the Post. Romeo allegedly told the police he was drinking at home before starting to drive. He was later charged with driving while intoxicated.

According to Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota, Romeo could not see the limo pulling into the intersection ahead of him until he was 200 feet away because of a Jeep that was waiting to turn left, CBS2 reported.

“A perfectly sober Steven Romeo could not avoid this crash. An intoxicated Steven Romeo could not avoid this crash. It was simply unavoidable from Romeo’s perspective,” Spota told CBS2.

However, according to Spota, Pino did not take any extra precautions to make sure he could safely make a U-turn even after noticing he has limited sight into opposite traffic, CBS2 reported.

Both men are expected to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon.