The Toll Of Tragedy: A Year After The I-80 School Bus Crash

MOUNT OLIVE, NJ — It’s been a full year since the horrific school bus crash on I-80 that claimed the life of a Paramus student and teacher. But for many, it feels like the crash was just yesterday.

East Brook Middle School students and teachers were traveling along the highway on their way to a spring field trip at the historic Waterloo Village in Stanhope when a bus driver cut across several lanes on the interstate, causing a “worst-day scenario” crash, as one report put it.

The crash killed teacher Jennifer Williamson-Kennedy and student Miranda Vargas, and injured virtually every person on the bus. The driver, Hudy Muldrow, faces over 40 charges, including two counts of death by auto (he has pleaded not guilty).

Paramus superintendent Michele Robinson expressed thanks to everyone in the community for their support over the past year, telling Patch, “Over the course of this past year, our community has continued through the healing process. We extend our deep appreciation to all who have given their support.”

A lot has happened in the past year. Two families had to bury their loved ones, a community has mourned, state and federal legislation has been introduced or signed into law, and the legal process has progressed slowly.

This is what happened that day, in the year since, and what will happen going forward.

The Crash

May 17, 2018 was a cloudy, gray day, with high winds and a constant drizzle. That wasn’t going to stop the students from East Brook Middle School from enjoying their spring field trip to the historic Waterloo Village in Stanhope.

The field trip was over before it even really began.

Three buses left the middle school in Paramus around 9:20 a.m., Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp said while announcing charges against Muldrow. Muldrow was driving the second bus in the caravan.

The first bus apparently missed the exit for Waterloo, leading the caravan further away from the Village. The last bus separated from the others and arrived safely at Waterloo. Then, the first bus became separated from Muldrow’s bus and arrived safely at the destination.

Muldrow allegedly drove onto Route 206 south towards the on-ramp to I-80 West. Near the entry point to I-80, Muldrow is accused of turning sharply in an attempt to drive across all lanes of traffic to reach an official turn-around point in the median.

This move positioned the bus “almost-perpendicular” to traffic traveling westbound on I-80, and it was slammed into by a large dump truck; the body was ripped off the chassis and tossed onto the center median while the chassis sat on the roadway.

Knapp said the dump truck was traveling in the center lane at the time of the crash. He did not release the name of the dump truck driver, who was also injured in the crash.

As devastating as the crash was, it had the potential to be even worse. From the moment of impact, 911 calls began streaming into the Mount Olive and Morris County dispatch centers, and drivers immediately pulled over and began doing whatever they could do to help the injured— virtually every person on the bus.

Mount Olive Police, every Mount Olive fire department, State Police, and multiple EMS teams were the first wave of responders sent to the scene.

“What happened next was truly remarkable. Upon the arrival of the first units on-scene, the comprehensive scene size-up gave both dispatch centers and other response units enough information to immediately dispatch and ensure that we had enough ambulances and emergency response assets being requested to respond,” the 200 Club of Morris County said in honoring the first responders.

It took seven minutes to take everyone off of the bus, and responders began treating the injured right there on the spot, saving lives in the process. As for Miranda Vargas and Jennifer Williamson-Kennedy, the two killed in the crash, their injuries were described as “so significant that no action by EMS or hospital personnel could have changed the tragic outcome.”

The other 44 passengers were in “a variety of medical conditions,” including those with minor injuries and those in critical condition. “Everyone that was treated and transported is alive today because of an aggressive triage and reassessment process and a ‘complete system of care,'” the Club said.

The Grieving

Jennifer Williamson-Kennedy was a beloved teacher, the kind of educator students remembered even years later. As she watched her first crop of kindergarten students graduate from high school, many of them stopped to say hi, and let her know where they’d be going off to college, her brother, Doug Williamson, said in a eulogy.

She was always destined to be a teacher, Williamson said, recounting a time when a young Jennifer started crying because she didn’t have any more homework to do. “After that, she started teaching me my homework,” Williamson said.

Williamson-Kennedy spent her entire career teaching in Paramus, the same town she called home. “She was so dedicated to her students and to her school,” a mourner told Patch at a memorial last year. “Her students were her kids. She loved every student she ever taught.”

“Anyone who knew her knew that teaching and her students were her first love,” said another parent who wished to remain anonymous. “It’s just so sad, for everyone involved.”

“Jen made a friend of everybody. She was always remembered by people,” mother Dolores Williamson said. “She wasn’t even aware she was doing it, it was just her talent, her kindness. When people tell me those stories about her, I feel so much gratitude.”

“My beautiful bride and I have been in total love every day of our lives since the day our eyes met on May 5th, 1994,” husband Kevin Kennedy said in a statement shortly after the crash. The pair had recently purchased a dairy farm in New York that they planned to eventually retire to.

Miranda Vargas, 10, was a bright young girl with her entire life ahead of her when she was killed in the crash.

“She loved building things such as Legos, and said to me that she would one day build skyscrapers. We would always talk about her future and how successful she would be, and now thanks to the selfish driver and those who supported his role, we would not see her 8th grade graduation, her Sweet 16, her high school graduation, her college graduation, and I will not walk her down the aisle,” father Joevanny Vargas said, holding back tears as the Mayor of Paramus and Rep. Josh Gottheimer put supportive hands on his shoulders.

Vargas spoke of a trying year since Miranda’s death, how the family left her room as it was the day she died, and how Miranda’s twin sister, Madison, found comfort in their maternal grandmother.

“I want to thank my wife. We have encountered a tragedy in our lives that has changed who we are. We never thought we’d find ourselves in such a dark place, but I thank you for demonstrating what a virtuous woman you are. To my Madison, I thank God for you every day. I’d be lost without you. Every time I look at you I see purpose, I see a reason to fight, and I know Miranda lives through you, so I still see my baby through you. I am only standing here today because of you and Mommy. I don’t know where I’d be without you two. Thank you for the love and strength you show every day,” Vargas said in an emotional press conference.

“She was a beautiful, gentle soul with a passionate love for her family,” aunt Lorena Vargas said. “Her smile was contagious and that is how we will forever remember her.”

The Accused

A year later, any resolution in the charges against bus driver Hudy Muldrow Sr. still remain several months away.

Muldrow, now 78, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree reckless vehicular homicide, 25 counts of fourth-degree assault by auto, and 16 counts of assault by auto. He was indicted on all charges in April, and arraigned on shortly after.

A trial is expected to start on Oct. 7, and Superior Court Judge Stephen Taylor said he expects the trial to last five to seven weeks. A plea deal is still possible, but Taylor said that was between the defence and the prosecution to discuss.

Muldrow was charged one week after the crash with two counts of death by auto, with the additional charges coming in April of this year. If convicted, Muldrow could face what would amount to an effective life sentence.

“We mourn the loss of life and our thoughts and prayers are with the families so affected. Likewise, that extends to all those that were injured in this accident,” Muldrow’s lawyer, Matthew Reisig said in a statement sent to Patch shortly after Muldrow was charged. “Mr. Muldrow is presumed innocent of his charges. While we understand that this accident and its tragic consequences are a matter of considerable public interest, my client has faith in the criminal justice system and reiterates his presumption of innocence.” Reisig did not respond to Patch’s request for comment this week.

After his arrest in late May 2018, Muldrow was released ahead of the trial. As a condition of his release, Muldrow was forced to hand over his license and was barred from getting behind the wheel of a car. He was also banned from contacting any of the victims or their families, or leaving New Jersey.

A spokesperson for the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office declined to comment this week, citing the ongoing prosecution.

How Could This Have Happened?

Possibly the biggest question to arise in the direct aftermath of the crash was: How was Muldrow allowed to get behind the wheel of a bus?

Muldrow’s driving record included 14 license suspensions, with the most recent suspension happening in early 2018. Six of those suspensions were because of unpaid parking tickets, and another was for administrative reasons, a Motor Vehicle Commission spokesperson said.

Muldrow also had eight speeding tickets, a careless driving ticket, and a summons for unsafe operation of a motor vehicle, the last of which came in 2003, officials said.

Paramus superintendent Dr. Michelle Robinson said the district had no idea Muldrow’s driving record was so spotty.

“Nothing that was provided to the district by the state reflected that the driver had any moving violations,” Robinson said. “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.”

Muldrow’s son, lawyer and pastor all defended Muldrow’s driving, with Muldrow’s son saying his father was “a good driver.”

During a hearing last June, Reisig, the lawyer, called Muldrow’s driving record “above average” and asked, “Who among us has not had a parking ticket?”

What’s Next

The crash and Muldrow’s spotty driving record have spurred legislative change on both the state and federal level. U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat that represents Paramus, introduced Miranda’s Law and the Secure Every Child Under the Right Equipment Standards (SECURES) Act.

Under the Miranda Vargas School Bus Driver Red Flag Act, real-time background checks would happen for all bus drivers. That means whenever a bus driver has any infraction greater than a parking ticket, the Department of Transportation will send a notification to the local school district.

The SECURES Act would make three-point lap and shoulder seat belts mandatory on all school buses, and create measures to encourage students to actually wear their seat belts.

It’s not clear if these changes could have saved the life of Miranda Vargas, a little girl only just starting her life. But they could save the life of another young girl, or of any person who gets on a school bus and assumes they’re going to be safe.

Both bills are sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans, from New Jersey and around the country.

“This is not a New Jersey problem. This is a national problem that needs to be addressed before we’re confronted with another tragedy,” Miranda’s father, Joevanny Vargas, said of the legislation, “This is common sense legislation – it’s not about Republicans or Democrats. It’s about moms and dads.”

“We are here to help turn tragedy into hope for other children and families. Joevanny will be joining me in Washington beginning this spring, so that he can tell his story to members of Congress on why our communities so desperately need this bipartisan legislation. Miranda’s Law, and the SECURES Act, will help save lives. And there’s nothing partisan about that,” Gottheimer said.

Joe Vargas spoke in support of the federal legislation, noting that similar statewide laws had already been enacted.

“This is common sense legislation, it’s not about politics nor is it democrat or republican, nor is it who lost a billion or gained a billion, it’s not about who turned in tax returns or didn’t turn in tax returns. This is about our kids. This is about our kids, this is important. Today, it was mine, tomorrow it could be yours. Please, don’t wait for this to happen,” Vargas said at a press conference earlier this week.

A package of New Jersey laws were signed into effect in December 2018, just over six months after the crash. The laws require school bus drivers over the age of 70 to submit a medical report once a year, or once every six months for those over 75. They also require that the Department of Education notify a school when a bus driver has a license suspension, and that the school confirms the driver is no longer driving for them.

“This horrific accident prompted me to call for legislative hearings which raised questions about how we can make school buses safer, write tougher regulations relating to bus drivers and bus operators and how we monitor our children once they board a bus,” said state Sen. Joseph Lagana, a Democrat from Bergen County who sponsored the New Jersey bills. “This package of bills addresses these concerns and should ensure that no parent or child will have to go through what too many have endured these past few months.”

“It has been one year since the loss of Miranda Vargas and Jennifer Williamson Kennedy in a tragic school bus accident on Route 80. On this day, Tammy and I are thinking of the families of these two wonderful people whose lives were taken from us far too soon. Students, teachers, and their families should not have to worry about safety when it comes to school bus transportation,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement sent to Patch this week. “In the year since the accident, the Legislature worked with our Administration to enact new laws that will enhance school bus safety and enable more thorough screening of drivers. We will continue to do everything in our power to prevent tragedies like this from occurring again.”

Related:

---

With reporting by Dan Hubbard, Patch Staff

Click Here: camiseta seleccion argentina