Court date of June 1 for driver who struck, killed toddler

A trial has tentatively been slated for June 1 in Hanover Municipal Court for an Alstede Farms employee who was ticketed for careless driving after the shuttle bus he was operating on the Chester Township farm property in October struck and killed a 2-year-old girl.

Attorney Gerald Kelly, who is defending driver Neil H. McWilliams of Flanders, said the careless driving ticket was transferred to Hanover Municipal Court from Chester Township Municipal Court and is scheduled to be heard June 1 but could be postponed.

Kelly, who has called the Oct. 12, death of toddler Elizabeth “Ella” Fuehring of Budd Lake “a tragic accident,” said he has not yet received any police reports or discovery related to the incident.

The handling of the ticket was transferred out of Chester Township because lawyers for the estate of the girl have filed notices of intent to sue multiple public entities that include the township, Chester Borough, their police departments and Morris County.

McWilliams, a longtime Alstede Farms employee, was operating a “I Love Chester Express” shuttle bus that struck and killed Fuehring and injured her mother, Sarah Fuehring, and their friend Joanna Alemany.

A probe by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office into the accident that killed the 2-year-old recently ended with the conclusion that there was no evidence of criminal wrongdoing on the part of McWilliams.

The Prosecutor’s Office investigation revealed that a 2006 Chevrolet van — which other authorities said was the Chester Express van operated by McWilliams — and a second black van were shuttling passengers to and from stops between the Gladstone Train Station and Alstede Farms on Oct. 12.

At the time of the incident, the black van was parked in a driveway of Route 24 and loading passengers. The Chevrolet van was positioned behind the black van. The toddler, her mother and Alemany were between the two vehicles when the Chevrolet rolled forward, causing the fatality and injuries to the two adults, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Sarah Fuehring suffered a fractured leg and Alemany, who was at the farm with the Fuehrings and her own children, suffered a fractured pelvis. Fuehring was released from Morristown Medical Center on Oct. 22, and Alemany was discharged on Oct. 21, but both women still required physical therapy and other medical treatment upon discharge, according to authorities.

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