Officials Want Justice To Run Its Course In Paramus Bus Case

PARAMUS, NJ — Although they remain dedicated to their students, and the community as a whole, district officials are anticipating the legal case against Hudy Muldrow Sr., the man who drove the bus that collided with a dump truck on I-80 May 17, killing two people and wounding dozens more.

Superintendent of Schools Michele Robinson said the district is looking forward "to justice taking its course," against Muldrow, 77.

"We are heartbroken by the events of the last week," Robinson said in a statement. "Right now our focus remains with our children and coming together as a community."

Teacher Jennifer Williamson-Kennedy and 10-year-old student Miranda Faith Vargas died in the I-80 crash after the bus collided with a dump truck. They were from East Brook Middle School.

Muldrow, 77, has been charged with two counts of death-by-auto, also known as vehicular homicide, in connection to the school bus crash that killed a student and a teacher and injured 43 others.

Muldrow is scheduled for a pretrial detention hearing Friday at 1:30 p.m. in Morris County Superior Court in Morristown. It's not yet known if Muldrow will appear in person, or if he will appear via closed-circuit TV from the Morris County Correctional Facility.

Muldrow's lawyer, Matthew Reisig, said his client is "presumed innocent of his charges."

"While we understand that this accident and its tragic consequences are a matter of considerable public interest, my client has faith in the criminal justice system and reiterates his presumption of innocence," Reisig said in a statement.

Officials say Muldrow caused the horrific crash when he cut the school bus across three lanes of Route 80 traffic in an attempt to reach an official use only turn-around point in the median.

If found guilty, Muldrow faces prison time of up to 10 years in prison on each charge.

Muldrow's son, Hud Muldrow, Jr., previously told CBS2 that his father was sorry people had gotten hurt, but defended his driving skills.

"That's the truth. He is a good driver," Muldrow Jr. told NJ.com. Muldrow Jr. could not be immediately reached for comment for Patch.

Muldrow Sr. has a long history of driving trouble, the state Motor Vehicle Commission confirmed, including 14 license suspensions.

Despite his record, Muldrow Sr. still managed to have a commercial driver's license with valid passenger and school bus endorsements, Commission spokesperson Mairin Bellack said. Robinson said district officials were unaware of his driving record.

Paramus has been a community in mourning since the crash. Williamson-Kennedy and Vargas were buried this week. A candlelight vigil was held in their memory and in support of the other 43 victims who were injured in the crash, some of them critically.

Related:

• Seat Belts Didn't Fit Correctly Before Bus Crash: Student
• School Bus Driver In Fatal NJ Crash Is Innocent, Lawyer Says
• Why Was Elderly Man With 14 Suspensions Driving Doomed NJ Bus?
• Driver, 77, Revealed In Fatal NJ School Bus Crash
• 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

With reporting by Katie Kausch, Patch staff

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

Photo of the Paramus school bus that crashed on I-80 in Mount Olive Thursday. (Courtesy of CBS2, used with permission)