'My Family Is Shattered:' Bus Driver In NJ Fatal Crash Sentenced

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The bus driver accused in last May's fatal bus crash on I-80 in Mount Olive was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison Wednesday, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

Before his sentence, Hudy Muldrow listened to the heartbreaking cries of surving family members who said the bus driver was "lucky" for not suffering a worse fate (see videos below).

The accident claimed the lives of social studies teacher Jennifer Williamson and fifth grade student Miranda Vargas.

Muldrow Sr., 79, will serve a minimum of five years and nine months when parole eligibility is considered. After his release, he will lose his license for two years and spend three years on supervised parole, officials said.

According to a CBS2 report, Delores Williamson, mother of social studies teacher Jennifer Williamson who lost her life in the crash, spoke directly to Muldrow on Wednesday.

"You are a very lucky man. You are able to wake up and see your family, play with your grandchildren, wake up and see the sunshine in, enjoy a meal. Everything you can do was taken away from my precious daughter," she said in the report by CBS2’s Jessica Moore. "You are the reason she isn’t here. Your complete negligence and poor judgment took that all away. My heart is broken. My family is shattered.”

See the impact statements recorded by CBS2 in the video below.

The family of Muldrow also spoke to the judge, asking for leniency.

Muldrow pleaded guilty to a pair of reckless vehicular homicide charges, five counts of fourth degree assault by auto, one count of disorderly persons assault by auto and endangering the welfare of children in state Superior Court in Morristown on Dec. 23. Monday.

Students and teachers from Paramus East Brook Middle School were on their way to a field trip at the Waterloo Village in Byram on May 17, 2018 when the crash happened. Prosecutors say the three buses missed the exit for the village and, in an attempt to course-correct, Muldrow cut across three lanes of traffic on I-80 in attempt to reach the other side of the road.

The bus was hit by a dump truck, knocking the body of the bus off its chassis. Virtually all the 45 students, teachers and adults on the bus sustained some type of injury.

Muldrow has a long history of driving trouble, the state Motor Vehicle Commission confirmed, including 14 license suspensions. Despite his record, Muldrow still managed to have a commercial driver's license with valid passenger and school bus endorsements, Commission spokesperson Mairin Bellack said.

Paramus officials have said they were unaware of his driving record.

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