East Orange Man Charged With Driving School Bus Intoxicated & Causing Crash
Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 8:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
KNOWLTON TOWNSHIP, NJ.- A 47-year-old East Orange, New Jersey, man is facing up to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison after being charged on Saturday, with multiple felonies and motor vehicle summonses for allegedly operating a school bus while intoxicated that resulted in a crash on Interstate 80 in Knowlton Township, New Jersey.
According to Acting Warren County Prosecutor Jessica L. Cardone, on Saturday, April 19, 2025, shortly before 8:00 a.m, members of the New Jersey State Police responded to a single vehicle crash involving a school bus on Interstate 80 Westbound near milepost 3.0 in Knowlton.
Upon arrival, State Troopers found the school bus disabled in the left lane, with heavy front end damage. The school bus was carrying a total of twenty-five children and two adults, and State Troopers reported one person had been injured in the crash.
School Bus Driver Shows Signs Of Intoxication
During the initial investigation, State Troppers observed the school bus driver, identified as Pierre R. Tranquilus, 47, of East Orange, New Jersey exhibiting signs of intoxication and was unable to pass Field Sobriety Tests. Accordingly, State Troopers placed Tranquilus under arrest and transported him to the New Jersey State Police Hope Barracks.
As a result of the investigation, Tranquilus was issued multiple motor vehicle summonses, including Possession of an Open Container of Alcohol in a Motor Vehicle and Driving While Intoxicated. Additionally, Tranquilus was formally charged with felony counts of second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child; third-degree Endangering Another Person; and fourth-degree Assault by Auto.
Tranquilus was processed on the charges and was remanded to the Warren County Correctional Center, pending future court proceedings in Warren County Superior Court in Belvidere, New Jersey.
“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.”
