Driver, 77, Revealed In Fatal NJ School Bus Crash

PARAMUS, NJ — A 77-year-old man who was involved in another crash, had his license suspended twice, and was cited eight times for speeding has been identified as the driver in Thursday's school bus crash that killed two people.

Multiple reports have identified Hudy Muldrow Sr. of Paterson as the driver of the bus that collided with a dump truck on Interstate 80 in Mount Olive Thursday. Muldrow was taking more than 40 students, chaperones, and teachers from East Brook Middle School to Waterloo Village for a field trip when the crash occurred.

Read more: 6 Frightening NJ School Bus Incidents In 2018 As Crashes Rise

NJ101.5 said Muldrow, 77, was behind the wheel of the school bus operated by the Paramus school district when he reportedly made an illegal U-turn on the busy highway.

Muldrow's son, Hudy Muldrow Jr., told CBS2 his father received injuries to his stomach, leg, and shoulder and was conscious and alert, but in pain. He was being treated at a hospital near where the crash occurred, according to the report. He underwent surgery following the crash. A spokesperson for Morristown Medical Center told Patch that Muldrow is not in the hospital's registry. Hospital sources said he has been released from the hospital, Daily Record reported.

He also said Muldrow Sr., a father of 10 kids, is sorry that two people lost their lives. Muldrow Jr. said in the CBS2 report that his father told him he did not make an illegal U-turn.

"That's the truth. He is a good driver," Hudy Muldrow Jr. told NJ.com Tuesday outside his Paterson home.

Paramus School District officials have not responded to a requests for comment regarding Muldrow Sr. driving the bus. Officials were not available for comment at a Paramus Board of Education meeting Monday night. They went into closed session immediately after the public portion of the meeting was closed.

Two people, teacher Jennifer Williamson-Kennedy and 10-year-old student Miranda Faith Vargas died in the crash. Forty-three people on board, were injured, some critically, Gov. Phil Murphy said last week at a press conference. Many underwent surgery. At least one, Sofia Evelich, remains in critical condition in the hospital.

Muldrow Jr. could not be immediately reached for comment for Patch.

Department of Transportation officials told nj.com and NJ101.5 that video footage shows the bus trying to cross three lanes of traffic, seemingly to get to a paved median cut-through reserved for emergency vehicles that drivers also use for illegal U-turns. The video reportedly shows the dump truck slamming into the bus as it attempts to get onto I-80 eastbound.

The bus was one of three from Paramus heading to Waterloo Village. The other two buses safely reached the destination, only to head back to school minutes later when word arrived about the deadly crash.

CBS2 reported that Muldrow Sr. had his driver's license suspended twice, in 2012 and in December 2017, for unpaid parking tickets. He was cited eight times for speeding between 1975 and 2001 and was involved in at least one other crash.

In a preliminary report released Thursday night, New Jersey State Police said the bus got on I-80 West from southbound Route 206, and collided with the dump truck near milepost 25.1, just past Exit 25.

It's not clear why the bus would have taken southbound Route 206 to travel from Paramus to Waterloo Village in Stanhope. Online directions say the fastest route from Paramus to Waterloo Village is to take I-80 West to Route 206 North.

Officials from the Morris County Prosecutor's Office have declined to comment on the crash, saying the investigation into the crash remains active and open.

With reporting by Katie Kausch, Patch staff

Related:

• Was School Bus Trying To Make Illegal U-Turn Before Rt. 80 Crash?
• Paramus Girl Still Critical Following School Bus Crash
• Memorial Created At East Brook Middle School Following Deaths
• Paramus Community Mourns Dedicated Teacher Killed In Crash
• Teacher, Student Confirmed Dead In Paramus Field Trip Bus Crash

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com. Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.

Image: Emergency personnel work at the scene of a fatal Paramus school bus crash on Interstate 80 in Mount Olive Thursday morning. (By Avi Gibli, used with permission)