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East Hanover, New Jersey police sergeant charged in Riverdale crash

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A Morris County police officer faces multiple charges after he allegedly drove drunk in a Riverdale crash earlier this month that killed the passenger of another vehicle, authorities said.

Keith Gunther, 42, a sergeant with the East Hanover Police Department, was charged with second-degree vehicular homicide and third-degree assault in connection with the crash on Route 23 North on Tuesday, Oct. 15, according to a press release released by prosecutors of Morris County. He was also issued a citation for drunk driving.

An investigation revealed Guenther was driving a Ford F-150 south in the northbound lanes of the road when he struck a Toyota Camry traveling north just before 11 p.m. He later “showed signs of being under the influence of alcohol” after the accident, the press release states.

The Toyota passenger, later identified as 55-year-old Hamid Shabuddin of Paterson, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, whose name was not released, was taken to St. Joseph's University Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

Gunther was released from custody under the Criminal Justice Reform Act on a number of conditions, including pre-trial supervision, surrender of his driver's license and passport, and refraining from “excessive” consumption of alcohol. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for Dec. 9 in Morris County Superior Court.

Agencies involved in the investigation included the Riverdale and Pequannock police departments, the Morris County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit and the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Major Crimes Unit at 973-285-6200 or the Riverdale Police Department at 973-835-0034.

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