Gottheimer commemorating the fifth anniversary of the fatal Paramus bus crash on I-80 in Mount Olive Twp.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, May 17, 2023, on the fifth anniversary of the fatal Paramus school bus crash, which took the life of 10-year-old Miranda Vargas and teacher Jennifer Marie Williamson, U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) released the following statement.
“Today marks the fifth anniversary of the tragic Paramus school bus crash, which took two lives, including 10-year-old North Jersey fifth grader Miranda Vargas. In Miranda’s memory, I’m continuing the critical fight to turn tragedy into hope, and to turn hope into safety for children and families across New Jersey and our nation,” Gottheimer said
“I’m working across the aisle to pass Miranda’s Law and the Secure Every Child Under the Right Equipment Standards (SECURES) Act — bipartisan seat belt and bus safety legislation that will help ensure every child in America will be as safe as possible aboard a school bus. Additionally, last month, I called on the federal government to mandate three-point lap-and-shoulder seatbelts on school buses nationwide,” Gottheimer said.
“This is not a Democrat or Republican issue — it’s about saving the lives of our nation’s children and there’s nothing more important than that,” Gottheimer said.
Hudy Muldrow, 79, of Newark, NJ, who was the school bus driver, pled guilty on Dec. 23, 2019 to two counts of second-degree reckless vehicular homicide, one count of third-degree endangering the welfare of children, five counts of fourth-degree assault by auto, and one count of disorderly persons assault by auto.
Muldrow was sentenced on Feb. 26, 2020 to an aggregate term of 10 years in New Jersey State Prison and the first five years of this sentence are subject to the parole ineligibility provisions of the No Early Release Act.
In pleading guilty, Muldrow admitted that on the morning of May 17, 2018, while acting as a school bus driver for the Paramus School District, he recklessly operated a school bus on Interstate 80 in Mount Olive Township.
Muldrow admitted that his reckless operation of the school bus caused the deaths of two of his passengers, Miranda Faith Vargas, a 5th grade student at East Brook Middle School and Jennifer Williamson, a teacher at East Brook Middle School.
Muldrow also admitted that he caused injuries to five adult passengers and the driver of a dump truck. He further acknowledged that his conduct created a risk of harm to all 38 children who were passengers on his bus.
