Hamid Shabuddin Obituary, Death; – A police sergeant from New Jersey is facing allegations of driving under the influence in connection with a wrong-way collision that resulted in one fatality earlier this month.
Keith Gunther, 42, who serves as a sergeant with the East Hanover Police Department, was charged on Tuesday with second-degree vehicular homicide and third-degree assault, as stated in a press release from the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. Additionally, he received a summons for driving while intoxicated on October 15.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. that evening when Gunther, who was off-duty, was traveling south on Route 23 North. His Ford F-150 crossed the centerline and struck a Toyota Camry head-on, which was proceeding in the northbound lane. Following the collision in Riverdale, authorities noted that Gunther displayed signs of intoxication.
The driver of the Camry, whose identity has not been disclosed, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center. However, a passenger in the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene; he has been identified as 55-year-old Hamid Shabuddin from Paterson, according to the Bergen County Record.
Gunther was apprehended at the scene but has since been released and is currently under pretrial supervision. He has been instructed to surrender his driver’s license and passport and is required to avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
Gunther’s attorney, Robert Scrivo, remarked to NJ.com that his client is a “man of great service,” having previously served overseas with the National Guard. He has been a member of the East Hanover Police Department for 17 years. Gunther is scheduled to appear in Morris County Superior Court on December 9 for a pre-indictment conference.
