Driver In December School Bus Crash Faces Multiple Charges

NEW HEMPSTEAD, NY — Ramapo police announced 26 felony and misdemeanor charges against a driver who injured several children when his school bus crashed into a utility pole, cars and a house the morning of Dec. 1.

Chaim Feder faces three counts of second-degree assault, a felony; one count of first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony; 21 counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor; and one count of reckless driving, a misdemeanor.

The 37-year-old resident of Monsey was also charged with 31 traffic infractions.

He was arraigned Tuesday afternoon by the Honorable Judge Koplen of the Village of New Hempstead Court. The prosecutor requested bail to be set at $50,000 but the judge released him without bail with a future court date, District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II said in a statement.

"Every morning parents across the county and country put their trust in school bus drivers to get their children safely to and from school," Walsh said. "As alleged, the actions of the defendant put the children on the bus in grave danger and resulted in serious injuries. I commend the Town of Ramapo Police Department Crash Investigation Unit for their weeks-long investigation into the school bus crash."

The arrest came after an extensive investigation, police said.

At 8:57 a.m. Dec. 1, the bus scraped a utility pole, crashed into a tree, careened across a driveway and into unoccupied cars before bumping down a hill, striking several more trees, and then smashing into the house at 37 N. Southgate Drive, police said. Officers found multiple injuries among the passengers, aged 4 to 10. There was extensive property damage.

According to state DMV records, the bus was registered to "CONG;TALMUD;TORAH;TSHBR;NCHLS;CHM;INC" police said at the time.

Congregation Talmud Torah Tashbar Nachlas Chaim, which has a mailing address in Monsey and a street address in Spring Valley, is listed as a passenger carrier in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration management information system.

SEE: Ramapo Police Probe School Bus Crash In New Hempstead