Nauman Hussain was the operator of the company that rented out the stretch limousine involved in one of the deadliest U.S. road wrecks of the past two decades.
He said Hussain intentionally failed to follow maintenance regulations for the 2001 Ford Excursion. The stretch SUV was packed with birthday revelers when it hurtled down a hill, went off the road, and hit a parked car and trees before stopping in a streambed. Hussain's lawyer, Lee Kindlon, told jurors his client was not to blame. He faulted Mavis Discount Tires, a repair shop that Hussain routinely used.
Lawyers for Mavis, which is not on trial in the criminal case but is being sued by victims' families, deny the repair shop is at fault.