A bus driver is being charged with death by auto in a tragic incident on July 30 that killed an eight-month-old baby on in West New York, New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from New York City. A police officer who arrived on the scene performed CPR on the infant, but ultimately was not able to save her.
Officers say the driver was talking on his cell phone when he lost control of the bus. It jumped the curb and struck a lamppost, which hit the baby carriage. In addition to the criminal offense of death by auto, which carries a prison term of five to ten years, the 48-year-old bus driver was issued summonses for reckless driving and using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle.
According to a witness, the bus had just completed a stop to let off and pick up passengers when the chaos began. As soon as the bus started up again, the wheels began to spin and the bus seemed to go out of control. It jumped the curb and crashed into a lamppost, which struck the baby in her carriage. The bus continued moving, hitting a tree and then another lamppost. It also hit a parked car, which in turn plowed into several other parked cars. One of those cars had four people in it who suffered minor injuries.