WEEHAWKEN – Jets linebacker Dylan Donahue waived his first court appearance yesterday for charges stemming from a wrong-way crash at the Lincoln Tunnel last month.
His Morristown-based attorney, Terry Webb, stood before a judge in Weehawken Municipal Court for less than one minute saying she received discovery in the case, before a new court date was set.
Authorities say Donahue was driving a green Dodge Charger on Feb. 26 when he drove around cones on the Weehawken side of the tunnel and proceeded into a tube against traffic. He allegedly crashed into a jitney bus and was charged with DWI.
The front-seat passenger of the vehicle, Suleiman Mahmood, who is reportedly a Passaic firefighter, was charged with two counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly intervening during Donahue’s arrest.
Mahmood, wearing a sweatshirt with his firefighter’s union patch on the front, was arraigned on the charges and asked the judge for some time to hire a lawyer. He and Donahue are expected in court again on April 11.
Webb declined to discuss the details of the case.
Fifteen people were on board the jitney when authorities say Donahue drove into the bus. Four of those passengers were treated at Hoboken University Hospital for minor injuries.
Donahue, 25, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 draft by the Jets, was a backup and special teams player during his four games with the team this past season. He suffered a season-ending injury to his elbow in the Jets’ Oct. 1 win over the Jaguars.
Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com.