Months after Route 48 limo crash, resident begs for help over alleged Vineyard 48 traffic concerns

He’s mad as hell and he’s not going to take it anymore.

Six months after the devastating limo crash on Route 48 in Cutchogue that took the lives of four young women and left four others severly injured, resident Bill Shipman, who has been crying about about dangerous conditions on Route 48 he says are sparked by Vineyard 48 — he has also blasted the winery for what he says are egregious quality of life concerns, including traffic, parking, noise, public urination and other issues — came before the Southold Town board yesterday to plead for help.

He asked the board to crack down on what he said are continued parking violations on the site. Town Attorney Bill Duffy said the town is engaged in litigation and urged the board to proceed with caution during the discussion.

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said while he was unable to discuss the pending litigation, the town has allocated resources to enforce parking regulations; the town has also hired a new part-time code enforcement officer who can work nights and weekends and crack down on offenders.

“I”ve been complaining about this for almost four years,” Shipman said, adding that he did not understand why he had not received a response to a Freedom of Information Law request he said he filed on December 11.

He referred to a December, 2013 site plan application and report work sheet addressing parking and pedestrian safety; he added that there have been “numerous” calls in regard to traffic hazards and ”intoxicated pedestrians” crossing Route 48, as well as limos making U turns on Route 48. He alleged that Vineyard 48 is “non-compliant with town code” that requires parking be contained on-site.

Duffy again warned that the town is involved in active litigation regarding the site plan issues.

“I’ve been asking the same questions before this litigation and before the accident, since 2012,” Shipman said.

Russell reminded that the litigation involving Vineyard 48 is separate and “outside the scope” of the limo accident.

Duffy said the town has responded to Shipman’s complaints and issued violations.

“I’m tired of coming here,” Shipman said. “You tell me what I’m supposed to do. I stopped complaining and the tragedy happened.”

He told the board that each council member would have to “take an individual stance”.

The supervisor said he’s driven by the accident site, and has sat there on weekends and watched traffic. The town, he said. “has brought everything we could to bear on the specific operation itself.”

“Intermittently at best,” Shipman said. He added that he has been called to testify before a grand jury this month.

Councilman Jim Dinizio said now that there have been new hires in the code enforcement arena, the town “is in the beginning stages of having a real code enforcement entity in this town that is accountable to those types of violations. Maybe this summer, it will be better. I know, Bill, that you worry about this constantly, and I would not want to live under what you’re living under, but I think there’s light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to those violations.” He suggested Shipman give the town “a little bit more time” to let the new code enforcement efforts get up to speed.

Shipman expressed his frustration with ”having to come to these stupid meetings. The customer service stinks.”

July’s horrific crash devastated the community, which is still mourning the unspeakable loss. Killed in the accident were Lauren Baruch, 24, of Smithtown; Brittany Schulman, 23, of Smithtown; Amy Grabina, 23, of Commack; and Stephanie Belli, 23, of Kings Park.

Four other women in the limo were badly injured, including Alicia Arundel, 23, of Setauket; Melissa Crai, 23, of Scarsdale; Joelle Dimonte, 25, of Elwood; and Olga Lipets, 24, of Brooklyn.

The accident occurred when Steve Romeo, 55, of Peconic, T-boned a limo driven by Carlos Pino, 58, of Bethpage; Pino was attempting to make a U-turn on Route 48 and Depot Lane to head west after leaving Vineyard 48. The girls, who are believed to have been celebrating an upcoming wedding with an afternoon on the North Fork, behaved responsibly by hiring a limo, their attorneys have said.

Romeo was charged with driving while intoxicated but later, his blood alcohol level was determined to have been less than the legal limit, at .066.

Notices of claim have been filed with the town by the families of all victims, as well as survivors. In October, the limo driver, Pino, also filed a notice of claim.

A new traffic signal was installed at the intersection after the crash but public outrage ignited once again when no green left-turn arrow was included in the new traffic signal device.

Pat Moore, who has represented Vineyard 48 before the planning board, did not immediately return a call for comment.