ALBANY – Mavis Discount Tire has reached financial settlements with the estates of four victims of the deadly 2018 limousine crash in Schoharie.
Acting state Supreme Court Justice Denise Hartman of Albany has decided to seal the terms of the settlements for now because other families are still in either mediation or discussions about final figures, according to four court orders the judge signed last Thursday.
The families of the 20 victims of the crash sued Mavis along with members of the Hussain family that owned the 31-foot, stretch Ford Excursion limo that crashed on Oct. 6, 2018 while carrying 18 of the victims, including the driver, Scott Lisinicchia.
All on board and two bystanders were killed when the Excursion’s brakes failed as it descended a steep hill on Route 30 and crashed into the parking lot of the Apple Barrel Cafe before landing in a stream bed.
It is unclear when the rest of the families might officially settle with Mavis. Those with more complex cases, such that of Adam and Abigail Jackson, who had two young children at home when they died in the crash, may require more time to reach settlements. Family members are now raising the Jackson children.
The first four estates to settle are those of Rachael Cavosie, Patrick Cushing and Axel Steenburg and Richard Steenburg, brothers. Axel Steenburg had hired the limo that day from Prestige Limousine of Wilton as part of a surprise birthday celebration at a brewery in Cooperstown for his wife Amy, who was turning 30. Many of the group of 17 friends and family, all in their 20s and 30s, grew up together in Amsterdam where they were picked up for the fatal trip.
A spokesperson for Mavis declined to discuss the settlements. Robert Abdella, an attorney for the Steenburg estates, declined comment as well.
Nauman Hussain, 33, who operated Prestige for his father, was found guilty last month of 20 counts of…
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