Driver charged in fatal Bergen County crash now facing civil lawsuit

A Franklin Lakes man accused of killing a 92-year-old man in a car crash in 2022 is now facing a civil suit.

Scott Lieberman was indicted on vehicular homicide charges in March 2023 in the death of Albert Schnellbacher after originally being charged with reckless manslaughter in October 2022. Lieberman is accused of hitting Schnellbacher's Chevy Equinox with his new Ferrari Competizione as the older man was trying to turn left on Windsor Road from Briarcliff Road in Teaneck. Lieberman was accused of driving recklessly, crossing the yellow line and speeding before he hit Schnellbacher's SUV. Lieberman was released with conditions on Oct. 6, 2022.

Lieberman is not the only one named in the lawsuit, filed by Schnellbacher's widow, Elfriede, in Bergen County Superior Court Thursday. A number of people affiliated with World Wide Ferrari and its parent company were also named.

World Wide Ferrari did not immediately return a request for comment.

The suit said Lieberman drove the Ferrari in a "careless, reckless and negligent manner" and "gross negligence that resulted in Schnellbacher's death and did so without any regard to Schnellbacher's right to "safe use of public roadways."

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The lawsuit also accuses the other defendants of carelessness and negligence, stating their failure led to Schnellbacher's death. The suit said Lieberman relied on the defendants' "skill and judgment" on their warranties and they breached them and they were supposed to instruct him on how to properly operate the car.

The suit said the other defendants failed to notify Lieberman of a defect and recall from Ferrari, and their "carelessness, recklessness, inattention, failure to act, omissions and negligence," led to the death.

According to the suit, Lieberman and the other defendants failed to return the Ferrari to fix the issues, leaving them liable for Schnellbacher's death.

The suit said Elfriede Schnellbacher was financially dependent on her husband and the fatal crash deprived her of not only his financial support but his company. The suit also claims that Schnellbacher's wife, children and grandchildren benefitted from "direct financial contributions, services, assistance, companionship, advice, guidance, counsel and training" and have now lost that.

The family is seeking damages for pain and suffering, pre-impact terror, monetary and compensatory damages, interest and cost of the suit.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Teaneck NJ fatal crash leads to civil lawsuit against driver