Video shows Holmdel School Board president's minor crash with student
HOLMDEL – A minor motor vehicle accident between Board of Education President Elizabeth Urbanski and a high school senior has turned into a war of words that may alter the upcoming Holmdel High School graduation ceremony.
Urbanski, who was recently found guilty of two motor vehicle violations related to the incident involving a 17-year-old student, is now accusing the student of wrongdoing and claiming video of the incident does not show if Urbanski struck the other car.
Urbanski’s attorney, Kevin Buchan, issued a statement this week along with video clips taken from a surveillance camera.
The video, provided by Buchan and posted above, shows Amanda Ledo driving her gray 2021 Jeep Wrangler in the high school parking lot and approaching an intersection where Urbanski was turning left in her 2018 silver Lincoln.
Urbanski’s vehicle appears to strike Ledo’s car and stopping for a few moments before driving on. Ledo's car briefly pulls to the right side of the road before following Urbanski. Both vehicles are seen leaving the parking lot out of camera range.
Buchan claims the video shows the student, Ledo, now 18, ran a stop sign and also left the scene, and that it is unclear if Urbanski’s vehicle actually struck Ledo’s car. Ledo was not charged in the incident.
“Exactly what happened with respect to whether or not any contact was made between the vehicles remains unclear,” Buchan’s statement said. “What is clear, however, is that Ms. Ledo ran a stop sign herself and at higher speed than Ms. Urbanski was driving. Ms. Ledo then changed lanes without signaling. What is very clear is that Ms. Urbanski did not make a ‘bee-line’ out of the parking lot as was alleged.”
Urbanski has not responded to requests for comment.
Ledo criticized Buchan’s comments, noting the police report indicates she was struck by Urbanski and that Ledo broke no laws.
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“Mr. Buchan states my version of what happened is not accurate, but my version is exactly what is written in the police report based on the officer stating the facts of the accident per his review of the school video,” Ledo said via email. “Mr. Buchan is missing the most important part of the story which is most upsetting to me and those Holmdel residents following this story. Mrs. Urbanski never apologized to me.”
At least one school board member, Terence Wall, said an apology is owed to Ledo.
“The young lady and her family deserve an apology and not a continued attack from my fellow board member, in my opinion," Wall said, stressing that he does not speak for the entire board. "The issue is well documented at this point. Our number one responsibility as members of the Board of Education and a community is to keep our children safe.”
Ledo’s mother, Lisa, who criticized Urbanski last week for her actions, said she recently asked that the board president not be the one to hand a diploma to her daughter during the upcoming June 21 graduation.
Traditionally, the board president distributes diplomas to graduates.
Superintendent Scott Cascone would not confirm or deny that a diploma distribution change would occur but said the graduation plans have not been finalized and hinted that an altered plan is in the works.
“Over the next week the high school principal will be finalizing all preparations for the ceremony. Candidly, our primary focuses right now are ensuring that the event runs smoothly and safely and appropriately memorializes this auspicious occasion for our seniors,” Cascone said in a statement about a potential change in the program.
School board members and district officials have continued to withhold comment on the incident, referring questions to Board Attorney Paul Green, who declined comment.
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Following the incident, Urbanski received three moving violations for disregarding a stop sign, failure to report an accident and leaving the scene of an accident involving damage.
The case was initially referred to Holmdel Municipal Court, but was later moved to Freehold Township Municipal Court because of an undisclosed conflict of interest, court officials said.
After three court hearings beginning in January, the case was resolved on March 1, when Urbanski was found guilty on two of the three counts — the charge of leaving the scene of an accident was dismissed.
Urbanski was first elected to the Board of Education in 2019 and faces reelection this fall. Her campaign motto at the time was: “Transparency — Accountability — Excellence.”
She became board president in January after former board President Vicky Flynn resigned to take a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly.
Joe Strupp is an award-winning journalist with 30 years’ experience who covers education and several local communities for APP.com and the Asbury Park Press. He is also the author of three books, including Killing Journalism on the state of the news media, and an adjunct media professor at Rutgers University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. Reach him at jstrupp@gannettnj.com and at 732-413-3840. Follow him on Twitter at @joestrupp
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Holmdel NJ: School Board president crash with student video
