A driver blamed for a deadly Memorial Day crash involving a New Jersey Transit bus two years ago has been indicted on three counts of vehicular homicide.
Atlantic County prosecutors say 20-year-old Melissa Rodriguez also faces two counts of assault by auto in an indictment handed up Wednesday by a county grand jury. It was made public on Monday.
The charges stem from a May 2014 crash with a 502 Line bus along Franklin Boulevard in Pleasantville. Three teenage passengers in Rodriguez's car died when she allegedly crossed the center line and struck the bus, which had eight passengers aboard. [[260838681, C]]
"For some odd reason the red car crossed over the center line and it was a head-on collision with the bus," said Pleasantville Police Department Sgt. Emory Silipigni at the time of the wreck. "The bus tried to swerve out of the way but was unsuccessful."
Rodriguez was arrested Friday and released later that day after she posted $50,000 bail. Her attorney, Steve Scheffler, said he was surprised by the indictment because he had been led to believe several months ago that prosecutors had decided not to pursue criminal charges.
