Ex-Morrisville mayor admits hit and run case
The former mayor of Morrisville was placed on probation Wednesday after admitting he fled the scene of an accident last year in the riverfront borough.
In a court appearance, Brud Anderson, 51, entered a guilty pleas to accidents involving death or personal injury and accidents involving damage to attended vehicle or property, both misdemeanors with a potential maximum prison sentence of one to five years.
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Bucks County Common Pleas Court Judge Gary Gilman sentenced Anderson to serve 12 months of probation and to undergo drug and alcohol evaluation, continue mental health treatment and have no contact with the victim.
Next week marks one year since Anderson was involved in a two-car accident at North Delmorr and East Trenton avenues.
A New Jersey woman said she was traveling south on Delmorr approaching the intersection when a black Sport-Trac attempted to turn left onto East Trenton Avenue from the northbound lane of Delmorr, according to charging documents.
The right front of her SUV struck the front of the Sport-Trac and both vehicles came to a stop in the middle of the intersection, police said. The woman reported she suffered minor injuries including bruises and a burn where her airbag deployed.
Surveillance video showed the black Sport-Trac remained at the scene for less than five seconds before backing up and speeding away westbound on East Trenton Avenue.
Eight days after the accident, Morrisville police confirmed the Sport-Trac was registered to Anderson, according to charging documents.
The case was referred for investigation to the District Attorney’s Office citing a conflict of interest; at the time Anderson oversaw the borough’s police department.
Anderson admitted to the accident and fleeing the scene and that he did not call police or report the accident in a subsequent interview with a county detective.
The former mayor raised eyebrows when he failed to appear at his preliminary hearing last September and requested that former Police Chief George McClay call the district court and request a continuance for him.
A month later he submitted his resignation, which the council accepted, citing "several extremely unfortunate circumstances both personally and professionally."
A Democrat elected in 2021, Anderson had a little more than two years left in his term; council appointed Gary Wallace to serve out Anderson’s term of office.
Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Former Morrisville mayor Brud Anderson sentenced in hit-and-run case
