Paramus school bus crash case to be presented to grand jury

Peggy Wright | Morristown Daily Record

Show Caption Hide Caption Video: Review hearing for Paramus school bus driver "There will be additional charges," says Morris County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Troiano during a review hearing for Hudy Muldrow Sr. on Monday.

Criminal charges against the Paramus school bus driver charged with recklessly causing the May deaths of a teacher and a fifth-grade student are expected to be presented to a grand jury in the next two months.

Former bus driver Hudy Muldrow Sr., 77, made his first appearance in nearly five months on Monday for a "review hearing" in Superior Court in Morristown on progress in the criminal investigation from the May 17 crash in Mount Olive.

Muldrow, employed by the Paramus Board of Education, was part of a three-bus caravan headed to Waterloo Village in Stanhope for a fifth-grade school field trip. He missed the exit and allegedly attempted to steer the bus across three lanes to reach the official-use-only turnaround in the grassy median, court documents say. The bus collided with a dump truck and flipped over on its side in the median, records show. The bus cab was sheared from the chassis, authorities said.

Progress in the case has been slowed by the collection and evaluation of voluminous medical records of 42 passengers who survived the crash, County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Troiano told Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor.

Muldrow has already been charged with two counts of death by auto for allegedly causing the deaths of East Brook Middle School student Miranda Vargas, 10, and teacher Jennifer Williamson-Kennedy, 51. Muldrow was not charged with assault by auto for injuries caused to the 42 surviving passengers. Troiano said he has to determine the levels of all the injuries before a grand jury presentation occurs.

Muldrow, his right arm in a sling, quietly observed the hearing, as neither Troiano nor defense lawyer Matthew Reisig alluded to plea negotiations.

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Reisig said an expert will inspect the impounded school bus and dump truck Wednesday. Troiano said the state's inspection of the two vehicles has been completed.

Kennedy's brother and widower attended the hearing, along with a dozen supporters for Muldrow, who is living in Jersey City. A judge declined to detain him in May while the charges are pending, but barred him from driving.

Widower Kevin Kennedy said he is coping "day by day." He said the date of the next hearing is his wedding anniversary.

Muldrow currently faces up to 10 years in prison on each of the death-by-auto charges. If he is indicted on assault-by-auto charges, they are punishable upon conviction by either five years or 18 months in prison, depending on the severity of injuries to victims.

Peggy Wright: pwright@GannettNJ.com.

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