Limo crash: Vehicle failed inspection; driver wasn't licensed

The limousine, which crashed and killed 20 people in upstate New York a few days ago, was not even supposed to be on the road and the driver did not possess a license, New York's governor informed on Monday.

CNN quoted Governor Andrew Cuomo saying that the driver "did not have the appropriate license to be operating the vehicle."

"That vehicle was inspected by the New York State Department of Transportation last month and failed inspection and was not supposed to be on the road. The driver needed what's called a CDL, a commercial driver license with a passenger endorsement. The driver did not have that proper license," he added.

On October 6, the limo, carrying 17 members, was on its way to an upstate New York brewery, before it ploughed through a stopping sign and crashed into a parked SUV at the intersection of State Route 30 and 30A in Schoharie, killing all the occupants inside, including the vehicle's driver and two pedestrians.

Cuomo further said that the cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained.

"We don't know the cause of the accident, if it was a vehicle malfunction, if it was a driver malfunction (or) a driver error," he added.

According to an official, the limo company has been identified as Prestige Limousine Chauffeur Service of Gansevoort, New York. State Police Major Robert Patnaude confirmed that officials located the limo company owner, Shahed Hussain, who is currently in Pakistan, the CNN report said.

The Prestige Limousine Chauffeur Service, in a statement, said that it has "voluntarily taken our fleet of vehicles off of the road during the investigation." It added that the limo firm officials met federal and state investigators and that they are planning to hold meeting again.

Furthermore, Cuomo said that the officials are working on "a cease-and-desist order to stop Prestige Limousine from operating until the investigation is concluded.