CBS2 Exclusive: Driver In Deadly Wine Country Crash Avoids Cameras Outside Courtroom
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Victims' families and survivors of the deadly limo crash in wine country last year are seeking justice.
A judge has dismissed criminal charges against the limo driver, and on Tuesday the pickup driver was called into court.
Exclusive footage shot by CBS2's news team and reporter Jennifer McLogan, show driver Steve Romeo doing his best to avoid cameras as supporters shielded him during a trip down three flights of courthouse stairs.
"Hasn't Steve already been put through enough?" one cried out.
But it's the victims families who have been searching for answers and justice since the limo-pickup truck crash of July 2015, in wine country that left four young Long Island women dead, and four others critically injured.
"Thank you for your caring, because that is so important. Thank you. What else can I say? We lost our granddaughter," Betty Belli said.
Families were anguished that criminal charges were dropped in October, against limo driver Carlos Pino of Old Bethpage.
On Tuesday, there were fears that a judge would toss the case against pickup driver Romeo who collided with the limo as it made a u-turn at county route 48 and depot lane in Cutchogue after leaving a winery.
Pre-trial conferences have moved forward; will statements Romeo made and blood that was drawn an-hour-and-forty-minutes after he hit the limo be admissible?
Blood that Romeo gave showed that he a BAC of .066 percent, under the legal threshold of .08.
The assistant DA intends to show that he was legally intoxicated while behind the wheel.
CBS2 has learned that defense and the prosecution huddled today and may be close to an agreement -- a possible plea deal in the works for Romeo when he returns to court next month.
