Why Was Elderly Man With 14 Suspensions Driving Doomed NJ Bus?

PARAMUS, NJ — There are many unanswered questions following a bus crash that killed two people and wounded 43, including: How did a driver with over a dozen license suspensions wind up driving a bus full of fifth-graders?

Hudy Muldrow Sr. of Paterson drove the school bus in the fatal crash that killed two people and wounded dozens more – even though the 77-year-old has a long history of driving trouble, the state Motor Vehicle Commission confirmed.

Those troubles include:

• His license was suspended 14 times since he became a licensed driver in 1975. The most recent suspension was recently, from Dec. 20, 2017 to Jan. 3, 2018, confirmed Mairin Bellack, a spokesperson with the commission. Several reports have identified Ludlow as the bus' driver.
• Six of the suspensions were because of unpaid parking tickets. His license was also suspended once for administrative reasons, Bellack confirmed.
• He 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, Bellack said.

Paramus School District Superintendent Dr. Michelle Robinson issued a statement Wednesday regarding Muldrow Sr. and his driving record.

“I am shocked, saddened, and angry to read news reports concerning the school bus driver’s driving record. Nothing that was provided to the district by the state reflected that the driver had any moving violations," Robinson said. "In fact, all we were told is that he was a driver in good standing and eligible to operate a school bus. If these news reports are true, our community and our children deserved better than to receive incomplete information about his record.”

Despite his record, Muldrow still managed to have a commercial driver's license with valid passenger and school bus endorsements, Bellack said.

Muldrow Sr.,'s son, Hudy Muldrow Jr., told NJ.com that his father is a "good driver" – despite multiple reports based off of video footage that indicate Muldrow made an illegal U-Turn just moments before the fatal crash.

So why was someone age 77 with blemishes on their driving record allowed to transport children on a school bus?

In New Jersey, school bus drivers must have a valid commercial driver's license, along with valid passenger and school bus endorsements, in order to transport kids on a school bus. The commission requires bus drivers be "physically and morally fit."

There is no age limit on who may drive a school bus, but drivers need to be at least 21 years old and have been driving for three years.

Those who lose their driver's license or have their license suspended may not drive at all, including a school bus, until the suspension ends, Bellack confirmed.

State and federal officials have their own set of requirements for prospective bus drivers.

The state Department of Education requires districts to ensure school bus drivers possess a valid commercial driver's license, along with valid passenger and school bus endorsements, and undergo a criminal background check, which are run through State Police and national databases, said Michael Yaple, a spokesperson with the state Department of Education.

Background checks are done at the state and federal levels and include fingerprinting.

The commission reserves the right to suspend passenger endorsements if any "disqualifying information" is found on a driver's medical, criminal, or driver history records. Such information includes accumulating 12 or more motor vehicle violation points or a DUI or DWI conviction, among other things.

School bus driver's must submit an annual driver's abstract, including a history of motor vehicle violations, to the Department of Education, Yaple said.

Districts are required to administer a safety education program to school bus drivers. The program includes defensive driving techniques and railroad crossing procedures.

Drivers must also meet federal standards for alcohol and drug testing. They are tested when they are first hired and random tests follow while employed.

CBS2 reported that Muldrow Sr.'s blood was taken to test for alcohol and drugs.

It was unclear Wednesday exactly how long Muldrow Sr. has worked for the Paramus School District.

Muldrow Sr. was taking 38 fifth-graders from East Brook Middle School and seven adults to Waterloo Village in Bryan for a field trip when the bus collided with a dump truck on I-80 East, State Police previously said.

NJ101.5 said Muldrow Sr. reportedly made an illegal U-turn on the busy highway. He reportedly missed the exit for Waterloo Village and tried to turn around on the center medium and onto the westbound side of I-80, which is when a dump truck from Mendez Trucking reportedly hit the bus.

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office and New Jersey State Police are investigating the crash. Morris County Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Peter DiGennaro has declined to comment about possible charges against Muldrow Sr., Mendez Trucking, or other specifics regarding the investigation.

In a preliminary report released hours after the crash, 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.

Two people, teacher Jennifer Williamson-Kennedy and 10-year-old student Miranda Faith Vargas died in the Mount Olive crash. Forty-three people on board were injured, some critically.

Muldrow Jr., told CBS2 his father suffered injuries to his stomach, leg, and shoulder and was conscious and alert, but in pain. He underwent surgery following the crash. Hospital sources tell the Daily Record he has been released from the hospital.

With reporting by Katie Kausch, Patch staff

Related:

• 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

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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)