'Horrific' Schoharie Crash Kills 18 Inside Limo, 2 Pedestrians

SCHOHARIE, NY – Twenty people were killed in a crash involving a limousine Saturday in upstate New York, state police said. The crash, the deadliest in the U.S. in nearly a decade, happened just before 2 p.m. Saturday in Schoharie, a small town about 40 miles west of Albany.

Police said a 2001 Ford Excursion SUV stretch limousine was traveling in a southwestern direction on State Route 30 and failed to stop at the intersection with State Route 30A. The limousine traveled across the intersection into the parking lot of the Apple Barrel Country store and struck a 2015 Toyota Highlander that was unoccupied and parked. The Highlander then struck and killed two pedestrians standing nearby.

All 18 people inside the limo, including the driver, were killed in the crash.

Jessica Kirby, the manager of Apple Barrel, told the New York Times that the limo was likely going over 60 mph went it through a stop sign at the intersection. The speed limit on Route 30 in the area is 50 mph.

The National Transportation Safety Board has sent investigators to the crash scene. During a press briefing Sunday afternoon, NTSC chairman Robert Sumwalt said the "horrific" crash was the deadliest in the country since a Colgan Air flight crashed in Buffalo on Feb. 12, 2009 and killed 49 people.

State Police said the identities of the victims, all of them adults, are not being released pending autopsy results and family notifications. But reports say the victims were out celebrating a birthday and included four sisters and three of their husbands.

The Times, citing information from a family member, identified three of the victims inside the limo as brothers Axel Steenburg, 29, and Rich Steenburg, 34, as well as Axel Steenburg's wife, Amy.

Axel and Amy Steenburg, of Amsterdam, N.Y., were married over the summer. They are pictured below in a photo posted on Axel Steenburg's Facebook page.

Adam and Abigail Johnson, the parents of two young daughters – 4-year-old Archer and 16-month-old Elle –were also killed in the crash, according to a GoFundMe page set up by a family friend.

"Adam and Abby were amazing parents to these girls and taken much too soon," the fundraiser's organizer wrote.

GoFundMe photo showing Adam and Abigail Johnson with their two daughters.

Photo via Google Maps