Bus driver in fatal accident in Passaic charged with vehicular homicide
Friday, February 15, 2013
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Catherine Collier, 65, of Passaic., faces 10 years in state prison if convicted of the second-degree crime and would have to serve 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. She has been free on $50,000 bail since her arrest Oct. 4.
Collier, who pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide after her arrest, has not driven a bus for NJ Transit since her arrest, although it is unknown if she was suspended, reassigned or fired.
Collier was driving the route 74U passenger bus in Passaic at 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 27 when Joseph Currier, a 49-year-old Passaic resident, got off the bus near Main and Brook avenues, according to authorities. Currier was in the crosswalk on Main Avenue when he was struck by Collier 's bus, authorities have said.
A passenger on the bus said Collier accelerated as the
The passenger also saw the victim's face hit the
Passengers on the bus and a man banging on the outside of the bus shouted for her to stop, according to investigators.
A motorist who was waiting at the intersection on Brook Avenue to make a left turn onto Main Avenue was unable to make the turn when the light turned green because Collier 's bus entered the intersection, according to police.
Although the driver did not see Currier get hit, she saw the victim underneath the bus and called 911.
Collier is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment and have a status conference Feb. 25 before state
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- Na Johnson · Ashford University OnlineMay please sign the petition.
http://www.change.org/petitions/ nj-transit-coach-usa-and-wo rld-wide-public-transporta tion-stop-reckless-aggress ive-and-rude-bus-drivers-f rom-taking-innocent-lives 
Na Johnson · Ashford University OnlineThese bus drivers need to be held accountable for their actions. They driver like they own the road. I think some of these bus driver needs stiffer penalty like people running around shoot incident people. If bus driver keep running the lights and jumping the curb then said it was an accident they will keep killing innocent people without any corrective action to be enforce. I do not call reckless driving an accident or mistake. As driver we are held liable operating a moving vehicle and a mistake is something you can erase.
According to the driving manual when studying for your driving license it states that pedestrian always have the right way. Yes, I am sure it was not her attention to kill this man. However, as a driver we must be aware of our surrounding at all times. I am sure the timing was off when the man steps out into the street and the light changing. The bottom line is that a family is grieving for their lost and they can bring him back. It bothers me when a person says oh it was an accident when another person love one is killed because if it was your love one you see the story in a different prospective.
These bus drivers are reckless, rude, arrogant, and aggressive and cold hearten. I made this statement because I witness a bus driver trying to drive fast to see if the pedestrian run across the street fast, Then the bus driver stated to me he better hurry up across the street before I hit him. The bus driver feels that they are driving a big vehicle that they can aggressively take over the road. Also, this bus driver is in a rush because if they get to their destination early or late they are being written up.
My son Deshon Johnson was killed back in July 18, 2012 was the bus driver was speeding around the corner and his back wheel jumped the handicapped curb/sidewalk dragging my son 50 to 100 feet to his demised. I found out all of the facts after an intense investigation. The prosecutor stated that my son was running across Broad Street and Bay Avenue banging on the back door which was false information. If my son was running across the street like they said he would have been hit on the left not right. Then they said he used two open hands banging on the back door which is false information because he had a seven eleven bag gripped in his hand with a sandwich and bottle of vitamin water. Therefore, he cannot use both hands to bang on the door.
The bus driver was reckless and rude. He should have stopped at the bus stopped and pick my son up but he chose to keep going. In the result of his recklessness he should be charged. I can see if the bus driver had some kind of illness and pass out then I will say it is out of his control or an accident. No, it was not his attend to kill my son therefore; the law makers have criminal laws for people like these bus drivers which is called involuntary manslaughter or manslaughter.
I agree with John, Robert and Mark. It should not matter what her age is she killed a person. The bus driver who killed my son was 61 years old and with the company around the same time the Passaic driver was. The bus driver who ended my son’s life was a Coach USA driver operating NJ Transit bus. This type of killing is happened every day you can Google Deshon Johnson petition it is on chang.org or you can google Soulality blogspot. I have all the people who was killed by bus drivers. It needs to stop. Please sign the petition on change.org, I really appreciated.
Robert White · Top Commenter · Washington High School, San FranciscoNow the driver killed a man with bus, so let ban buses, it's kill too.
Mark A Hernandez · Top Commenter · Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityAlways have to turn things to fit your agenda. Guns are meant to kill, buses have killed but are meant to serve the purpose of transportation. Guns can be used for "sport" but that is not their use, shooting guns at non-living targets constitutes a use age and not a primary use.
Daniel J. Dick · Top Commenter · Epic Cache and Chronicles Systems Administrator at Community Medical CentersMark, people are angry that people like you seek to violate their right to protect themselves, to enjoy guns as sport, and for hunting. Before you do that, if you want to avoid the wrath of those individuals, I suggest you get busy and take the guns away from all terrorists, all dangerous criminals, every mafia member, every gang member. If you cannot do that, then what makes you feel entitled to call every American too stupid to have the right to protect themselves and in need of your superior judgment on their behalf?
Chris Palmer · Top Commenter · Clifton High School
Sean Morrison Hollywood · Top CommenterDoesn't NJ Transit do background checks and why is a 65 year old lady driving a bus.- Mark A Hernandez · Top Commenter · Fairleigh Dickinson University
Wayne Hughes · Hawthorne High SchoolTo the first person what does a background check has to do with running over someone and as far as begin 65 she wasmake a living if u can handle the bus y not ,maybe went u get to be 55 they will take your driver license away from u- Chris Palmer · Top Commenter · Clifton High School
- Wayne Hughes · Hawthorne High SchoolThank mark people like Sean make u sick some day we can live in glass houses so nobody get hurt or work
- Sean Morrison Hollywood · Top Commenter
Izzo Bawab · Works at Certified Sales Consultant at Lexusthat lady is 65 years old she should definitely not have to go to a state prison for ten years.... Yeah he was in a crosswalk and yea she ran a red light but im sure she didint intentionally want to kill that man. Thats why this situation is called an accident. plus the guy must be a complete retard for not seeing a bus coming- Mark A Hernandez · Top Commenter · Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityI guess you missed the part where she negligently tried to run the red light? The man had just gotten off the bus he was in the crosswalk and was subsequently ran over by a negligent driver. Even though she did not explicitly intend to harm, her negligent actions make it manslaughter. She should serve her 85% to make an example for other NJT employees who all drive like maniacs.
Carlos J. Gomez · Central Texas CollegeActually Izzo he was a mentally disable man who walked that path everyday like clock work. He worked at the post office for over 30yrs and took that way home everyday.
John Citarella · Passaic Valley Regional High Schoollol its crazy some of you numbnuts are defending this lady, maybe you dont encounter nj transit buses often but they are often reckless and dont care, theyll cut you off after a pick up, evidently they are running red lights too..lol
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