Driver in Pumpkin Farm Crash That Killed Toddler Issued Careless Driving Summons

The driver of a shuttle bus that hit and killed a 2-year-old girl at Alstede Farm in Chester Township on Oct. 12 has been issued a careless driving summons, but the investigation is still ongoing.

The ticket, issued by Chester Township, was given to Neil McWilliams, a six-year employee of the business, according to dailyrecord.com. McWilliams was known to operate the hay wagon rides on weekends at the farm, the report said.

On Oct. 12, McWilliams was driving a shuttle bus – owned by Alstede Farms – that backed into another shuttle bus, trapping two women and a child in between. That child, Elizabeth “Ella” Fuehring, was suffered head trauma and died as a result of her injuries, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office announced last month.

Fuehring’s mother, Sarah, suffered a broken leg, and a friend, Joanna Alemany, suffered a broken pelvis as a result of the crash.

More charges are still possible, but the crash is still under investigation by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

Two weeks after the crash, the Fuehrings reached out to media outlets asking anyone with information, photos, or videos of the incident to contact the family’s attorney and help with evidence in the investigation.

Immediately after Ella Fuehring’s death, a GoFundMe page was set up to help the family with funeral and medical expenses. A goal of $7,000 was initially established, but friends, family, and strangers shattered those expectations, pouring in more than $41,000 in a month.

Traffic, congestion, and overall volume has been a contentious issue at the farm stand in recent years, as it has grown to attract thousands of tourists during the fall season. The crash occurred on the farm’s property around 4:30 p.m. on a Sunday during the busiest weekend of the calendar year.

See All of Patch’s Coverage of the Alstede Farm Tragedy:

• UPDATE: One Dead, Several Injured in Alstede Farms Car Crash, Prosecutor Says
• UPDATE: Girl, 2, Died In Tragic Alstede Farm Crash While ‘Enjoying The Day;’ 2 Adults Injured
• Father of Toddler Killed at Alstede Farms: ‘I Lost a Piece of Me’
• Readers React, Lash Out at Farmer After Toddler Killed By Shuttle Bus
• Sadness, But No Surprise in Wake of Fatal Crash at Alstede’s