Paramus bus driver charged with causing deaths of child, teacher in Mount Olive crash

The 77-year-old school bus driver who crashed last week after he allegedly crossed three lanes of traffic Route 80 in Mount Olive with 44 passengers on board was charged Thursday with recklessly causing the deaths of a child and a teacher, according to criminal complaints.

Hudy Muldrow Sr., of Woodland Park, was charged with two counts of death-by-auto, also known as vehicular homicide, for allegedly driving recklessly and causing the deaths of bus passengers Miranda Vargas, 10, and Paramus social studies teacher Jennifer Williamson Kennedy, 51.

Authorities said state police from the Netcong barracks would be taking Muldrow to the Morris County jail, where he would spend the night before a Superior Court judge on Friday would determine whether he should be released on bail or remain in custody.

An affidavit filed by the Trooper Daniel Wojcik confirmed previous NorthJersey.com reports that Muldrow attempted to access the official-use-only cutaway between the east and westbound lanes of Route 80 and was struck by a dump truck. 

There were 43 people on board Muldrow's bus that was one of three Paramus buses bound for a field trip at Waterloo Village in Byram, Sussex County, with children from the East Brook Middle School in Paramus. The affidavit states that Muldrow and the dump truck driver, who was not identified, were injured, along with multiple other passengers aboard Muldrow's bus.

"The full extent of the non-fatal injuries has yet to be determined but range from minor to multiple serious and potentially life-threatening injuries," according to Wojcik's affadavit.

Referring to Muldrow's bus as Bus 2, the affidavit gives the following account: 

Three buses left East Brook Middle School around 9:20 a.m. to head to Waterloo Village. Shortly after 10 a.m. on May 17, the three buses exited Route 80 heading west at Exit 25 onto Route 206 North. Police believe the buses missed a turn that would have taken them to Waterloo Village.

In trying to correct their route, one Bus, No. 3,  separated from the others and arrived safely at Waterloo Village. Police believe Muldrow's bus, No. 2, detached from following Bus 1 and traveled on Route 206 South towards the on-ramp leading to the westbound lanes of Route 80.

Near the point of entry onto Route 80 from the on-ramp, Muldrow turned the bus to the left "in an apparent attempt to gain access to the official-use-only access point located between the east and westbound lanes of Route 80, according to the affadavit.

"As part of this maneuver, Hudy Muldrow turned Bus 2 so that it was positioned in an almost-perpendicular direction in relation to the lanes of travel on Route 80 Westbound," the affidavit said.

The bus then was struck by a dump truck that was traveling in the center of three lanes on the highway. The impact occurred on the left side of the bus, near its rear.

"As a result of the impact, Bus #2 was redirected and came to rest in the center media. Hudy Muldrow failed to maintain Bus #2 in its designated lane of travel when executing this maneuver. Hudy Muldrow disregarded the marked No Turn sign and  turned Bus #2 to the left in an apparent attempt to gain access to an official-use-only access point located between the east and westbound lanes of Route 80," the affidavit said.

Authorities and rescuers were dispatched around 10:20 a.m.  On arrival, the body of the bus was discovered laying on its left side in the median of the road. The bus body had detached from the chassis "due to the force of the impact with the dump truck," the affidavit said.

Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@GannettNJ.com.