Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • July 23, 2014 FLOW Area Students from Ramapo High explore England & France Ramapo High School students visit Buckingham Palace in London Community mourns Goodell The Waldwick community is mourning the death of Waldwick Police Officer Chris- topher Goodell, who was killed in an acci- dent on Route 17 at approximately 1:23 a.m. on July 17 while he was conducting radar checks on the southbound shoulder of the highway. “We are all in shock at what has hap- pened to one of our finest and most dedi- cated police officers,” Waldwick Mayor Thomas Giordano told Villadom TIMES. “Chris was a dedicated and professional police officer. His heart was in helping all residents of Waldwick. He was a gentle and caring person. He will be deeply missed.” Upon hearing the news, Rep. Scott Gar- rett issued the following statement, “I was deeply saddened this morning to hear the tragic news of the accident that took the life of Waldwick police officer and United States Marine Corps veteran Christopher Goodell. As both a law enforcement offi- cer and Marine, Officer Goodell displayed a deep dedication to his country and his community. Public service is a calling, and answering that call is truly a virtue. My thoughts and prayers are with Officer Goodell’s family, friends, and the Waldwick community as they mourn the loss of one of their bravest sons.” The driver of the tractor trailer that col- lided with Officer Goodell’s unmarked police vehicle has been charged criminally with one count of second degree vehicular homicide. Ryon Cumberbatch, 29, of Brook- lyn, New York was to appear in Bergen County Central Municipal Court Monday, July 21. Bail was set at $25,000. According to the Bergen County Pros- ecutor’s Office, a preliminary scene inves- tigation revealed there was no evidence of Officer Christopher Goodell pre-impact braking by the truck, a 2012 Freightliner 18-wheel tractor trailer; instead it appears from the roadway evidence that Cumberbatch left the marked lanes of travel and drove onto the shoulder, directly into the police car, without stopping or attempt- ing to stop. Investigators said Goodell’s sta- tionary, unmarked police car was entirely on the shoulder. Although his car was run- ning, Goodell’s emergency lights were not activated. Cumberbatch was charged following a cooperative investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecu- tor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, under the direction of Chief Carmen (continued on page 23) A group of Ramapo High School students led by social studies teacher Meredith Noah spent 10 days in Europe this summer on a historical and cultural field trip. The group vis- ited England and France from July 3 through 12, said Noah, who is also the school’s Academic Decathlon coach and National Honor Society adviser. The visit to England included stops London, where stu- dents witnessed the changing of the guard, saw Big Ben and Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, took a tour of Windsor Castle, and went on the London Eye; and Canterbury, where students toured the medieval cathedral and tombs and explored the charming town. While in France, the group stopped in Normandy. Stu- dents visited the World War II Museum, the Caen Memorial, the cemetery, World War II bunkers, and Omaha Beach. The tour of France also included Rouen, where students saw the cathedral that stood as the backdrop when Joan of Arc was burned at the stake; St. Malo, a fortified medieval city, where students climbed the stairs to the top of the wall and toured the ramparts with a local tour guide. The tourists also vis- ited the beaches, went to Mont St. Michel, one of the oldest monasteries in France, and visited the Chartres Cathedral. In Paris, students visited Notre Dame, the Locks Bridge, the Louvre, Versailles, Montmartre, went up to Montparness, took a sunset cruise along the river Seine, and saw the Arch de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. The group included recent juniors Jessica Cooley, Thalia Holst, Rachel Josef, Devin Korney, Lexa Krajewski, Clay- ton Levy, Madison Nelson, Chrissy Perrone, Josh Pokorny, Hannah Scibetta, and Heather Williams; recent sophomores Collete Barca, Lizzy Jennings, Ashlyn McKenna, Matthew O’Brien, and Cassie Trudeau; and recent freshmen Salma Abdel-Wahab, Alex Munao, Michael Muller, and Jessica Per- rone. In addition to Noah, chaperones included social stud- ies teachers Athanassios Haralambopoulos, and Ruthann Inserra.