On Nov. 3, 2023 Jean Fenelon, the driver responsible for the shuttle crash in November 2022, was criminally charged. These charges consisted of motor vehicle homicide and speeding. He has been ordered not to operate a motor vehicle without a license or have any contact with witnesses. 

Fenelon was released on a personal recognizance, meaning the defendant was released on a promise to attend their scheduled court date, in Waltham District Court. His next court date is set to be Feb. 28, 2024 according to a statement made by the Middlesex district attorney. 

The Middlesex district attorney’s statement also provides further information regarding the results of the investigation of the crash. The investigation concluded that Fenelon failed to apply the brakes as the bus was crashing into the trees, a result of going 52 miles per hour in an area of a 30 miles per hour speed limit. Fenelon had been found working more hours than was legal in a singular week, as he was also driving school buses in Boston.

Vice President of Student Affairs Andrea Dine, Vice President for Campus Planning and Operations Louis Stanley, and Chief of Public Safety Matthew Rushton sent an email to the Brandeis community following Fenelon’s release and sentencing, alerting community members that the case will be moving through the state court system. This email states that the University has “committed to keeping the community informed of developments” since the crash took place.

As the one-year anniversary of the accident approaches, Brandeis will be holding a moment of silence to remember all of those affected, which will take place in Fellows Garden on Nov. 17 at 2:15 p.m. 

Dine also acknowledged that this anniversary could be a hard event for many and listed resources for support on campus including the Brandeis Counseling Center, the Dean of Students Office, the Ombuds Office, the Center for Spiritual Life, and the Office of Graduate Affairs.