Paramus Stands By Handling Of School Bus Driver In Fatal Crash

PARAMUS, NJ — The Paramus superintendent is standing by her assertion that the driver in the fatal school bus crash on I-80 last month was in good standing with the state and eligible to operate a school bus despite his driver's license being suspended several times.

Superintendent Michele Robinson said in a statement to Patch Friday that the driver, Hudy Muldrow Sr., was a "driver in good standing and eligible to operate a school bus."

Robinson was responding to a Thursday report in The Record that published a Dec. 21, 2017 letter from the state Department of Education outlining Muldrow's driving troubles. The letter, which was obtained through an Open Public Records Act request, informs Robinson that the state Motor Vehicle Commission had revoked Muldrow's bus driver endorsement.

Robinson said the district "had no information" that Muldrow had any moving violations on his driving record. Muldrow's commercial driver's license was suspended nine times between 1977 and 2018, in addition to a host of parking ticket-related suspensions over several decades, State Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor said when Muldrow appeared in court last week.

"I am profoundly aware of the responsibility that I have as a member of our community, which is still struggling to come to grips with these awful events," Robinson said in a letter to the community posted on the school district website Friday afternoon. "I am committed to being forthright and honest with you because of that responsibility."

Robinson previously said she was "shocked, saddened, and angry" to learn of Muldrow's suspensions.

The most recent suspension was from Dec. 20, 2017 to Jan. 3, 2018 for a medical reason, and not for reasons that had anything "to do with moving violations or his driving ability," Robinson said. (You can read the full statement below.)

Taylor confirmed at a pre-trial hearing Wednesday that Muldrow had been medically re-certified by the state in January to drive a school bus.

According to Robinson, Muldrow submitted a medical form to the state over winter break, "after which we were notified by the state, first verbally and then in writing, that he was a driver in good standing and eligible to operate a school bus."

Muldrow, 77, of Jersey City, also has eight speeding tickets on his record, along with one for careless driving and a 2003 summons for unsafe operation of a motor vehicle.

Robinson had earlier said the district had no knowledge about Muldrow's driving record before he allegedly caused the horrific crash when he cut the school bus across three lanes of Route 80 traffic.

Muldrow allegedly was making an attempt to reach an official-use-only turn-around point in the median. Through a lawyer, Muldrow has maintained his innocence.

Forty-five students, teachers, and adults from East Brook Middle School in Paramus were onboard the bus, which was traveling to a school field trip at Waterloo Village in Byram Township, on May 17, the day of the crash. In addition to the deaths of 10-year-old Miranda Vargas and teacher Jennifer Williamson Kennedy, there were 43 injuries.

Muldrow was charged with two counts of death by auto, commonly referred to as vehicular manslaughter.

A judge agreed Wednesday to release Muldrow from jail as he continues to face charges connected to the I-80 accident.

The full statement sent to Patch by Superintendent Michele Robinson:

As I previously said in response to news reports that Mr. Muldrow had multiple moving violations, we had no information that Mr. Muldrow had any moving violations. We received a letter from the state on the eve of winter recess that his license was briefly suspended for reasons that had nothing to do with moving violations or his driving ability.

He submitted his medical form over winter break, after which we were notified by the state, first verbally and then in writing, that he was a driver in good standing and eligible to operate a school bus.

Nothing in my previous statement is contradicted by the documents. It is my responsibility to provide you and our community with the most accurate and detailed information we have and ask that anything we say be reported accurately in turn.

Image: Emergency personnel work at the scene of a fatal Paramus school bus crash on Interstate 80 in Mount Olive May 17. (By Avi Gibli, used with permission)

Related:

• Paramus Officials Unaware Of Bus Driver's Record: Superintendent
  
• Driver Charged In Fatal NJ School Bus Crash: Prosecutor
• 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?

With reporting by Katie Kausch, Patch staff

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Photo: Hudy Muldrow Sr. during a pre-trial hearing. (by Katie Kausch, Patch staff)