Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 35-year-old Nicholas M. Rich of Darien was sentenced this afternoon before State Supreme Court Justice Paul B. Wojtaszek. He received an indeterminate sentence of 4 to 12 years in prison.
On Friday, October 13, 2023, at approximately 8:40 p.m., the defendant was recklessly driving a vehicle at a high-rate of speed, while under the influence of alcohol, when he caused a collision with another vehicle at the intersection of Broadway and Schwartz Road in the Town of Lancaster.
The driver and one passenger of the other vehicle were taken to ECMC with physical injuries. A second passenger, a 10-year-old boy, was fatally injured in the crash and pronounced dead at St. Joseph’s Campus. The defendant was also taken to ECMC with injuries.
Rich pleaded guilty to one count of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (Class “B” felony), the highest sustainable charge, on November 27, 2023. As part of his sentence, Wojtaszek revoked the defendant’s driver’s license.
DA Flynn commends Detective Lieutenant Shaun Dimino and the Lancaster Police Department Accident Investigation Unit for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Bethany A. Solek and Chief Paul J. Glascott of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau.