Wanaque Man Charged With Driving Drunk & Killing Man In Riverdale Crash
Friday, November 1, 2024, 1:00 P.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
RIVERDALE, NJ.- On Tuesday, October 29, 2024, Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll reported that following an investigation, Keith M. Gunther, 42, of Wanaque, New Jersey, has been charged in connection with the October 15, 2024, Borough of Riverdale two-vehicle crash that killed a 55, year-old Paterson, New Jersey man and left the driver hospitalized.
Gunther, who was employed at the time of the crash as a Sergeant with the East Hanover Police Department, has been formally charged with second-degree Vehicular Homicide; and third-degree Assault by Auto and a motor vehicle summons for Driving While Intoxicated.
Gunther was processed on the charges and was released on a complaint summons pending future court proceedings in Morris County Superior Court in Morristown, New Jersey.
The charges stem from an investigation that began on October 15, 2024, when shortly before 11:00 p.m., members of the Riverdale Police Department responded to a report of a serious motor vehicle crash on Route 23 North in the Borough.
Police Officers Locate Fatal Crash
Upon arrival, Police Officers found a two-vehicle crash involving a 2021 Ford F-150 pickup truck that had collided with a 2005 Toyota Camry. The front seat passenger of the Toyota Camry, identified as Hamid Shabuddin, 55, of Paterson, New Jersey, was pronounced deceased at the scene; the driver of the Camry was transported to Saint Joseph’s University Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and has subsequently been released.
During the initial investigation, Gunther, the driver of the Ford F-150, showed signs of driving while intoxicated. As a result of the investigation, Gunther was criminally charged. Gunther has been scheduled for a pre-indictment conference on December 9, 2024.
“The rules of the court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”
