Tuesday marked eight years since a limousine lost its brakes on a hill in Schoharie County, killing 20 people. For one family, the grief continues alongside a lawsuit that is still working its way through court.
The limousine was carrying friends and family to a birthday party in 2018. The National Transportation Safety Board called the crash the deadliest transportation accident in the country in nearly a decade at the time.
Many of the families mark the anniversary by remembering the people they lost.
Michael Ukaj, a Marine who served in Iraq, was on his way to a friend’s birthday party. It was also his 34th birthday.
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“Michael was a very tender-hearted young man,” his mother, Mary Ashton, said. “He went into the Marine Corps because he wanted to protect our country. He went in at 17.”
“He went through that doggone military stuff to come home, to go to that birthday party, to be killed,” Ashton said. “Come on.”
Ukaj’s family is the last still suing Mavis Tire Supply, the shop that serviced the limousine, after the other 19 estates settled. The lawsuit alleges Mavis caused the crash by not correctly addressing an issue when servicing the vehicle.
“I love my son and I’m not letting Mavis try and tell me what his life was worth,” Ashton said. “They’ve been extremely disrespectful to us and to the memory of our son.”
Mavis denies responsibility.
In a statement issued in 2019, the company said, “Our thoughts and condolences are with the victims of this tragic accident. However, Mavis bears no legal responsibility for this tragedy and the events that led up to it, and we will defend ourselves vigorously against all claims.”
Ashton said she is no longer sure she wants to settle.
“I don’t even know if I want to settle anymore,” she said. “Drag their behinds through court and let the whole world see what they did.”
Ashton said Oct. 6 is a grievous day filled with sadness, but she tries to make the most of it.
“We go and we visit beautiful places that will remind us of our beautiful son,” she said.
Ukaj would have turned 42 on Tuesday.
The state Department of Transportation said in a statement that “in the wake of the Schoharie limousine crash, New York State enacted the toughest limousine safety laws in the nation, requiring alcohol and drug testing and CDL licenses for all limousine drivers, seat belt usage in all limousines, and commercial-grade GPS systems in all limousines. Legislation also raised minimum liability insurance requirements for limousines and substantially increased fines and penalties for illegal U-turns. Additionally, the Department of Transportation was provided with authorization to impound stretch limousines until a passed inspection and increased fines for limousines found out of compliance, but still operating. Also, eight regulations were amended or repealed to provide for more rigorous oversight in the wake of the crash, consistent with the many legislative changes. The effectiveness of these changes and regulatory oversight can be seen in the drastically reduced numbers of stretch limos on the road, from over 1,000 in 2018 to less than 100 today.”