Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that a jury has found 44-year-old Ronald F. Olson, II of Grand Island guilty of one count of Murder in the Second Degree (Class “A-I” felony), four counts of Assault in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felonies) and five counts of Assault in the Second Degree (Class “D” felonies). Jurors rendered their decision yesterday afternoon after approximately 8 hours of deliberation following a five-day trial, convicting the defendant of all counts in the indictment.
On Monday, March 20, 2023, at approximately 5:00 a.m., the defendant approached an occupied Jeep Liberty, which was parked at a gas station on Main Street near Winspear Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The defendant was trying to sell items of clothing to the occupants of the Jeep. After the encounter, the driver of the Jeep exited the parking lot and continued drive onto Main Street.
The defendant chased after the Jeep, while driving his Chevrolet Silverado, southbound on Main Street. The defendant, who believed the occupants had driven off with clothing that he was attempting to sell, followed the Jeep at a high-rate of speed. The defendant, while acting under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life, recklessly engaged in conduct that created a grave risk of death to another person by hitting the driver’s side of the Jeep with his truck. The defendant’s actions caused the Jeep to veer off of the roadway, hit a light pole then hit a tree near the intersection of Benwood Avenue.
The driver of the Jeep Liberty, 18-year-old Jarel Buchanan, died at the scene. His four passengers, a 17-year-old male, two 18-year-old males and a 19-year-old male, suffered various serious physical injuries, but survived.
Olson faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced before Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. He remains held without bail.
“No one should lose their life over an article of clothing. This defendant’s reckless actions resulted in the death of one young man, caused another young victim be paralyzed and seriously injured three other teenagers. Thankfully, the passengers survived this horrific crash and no one else on the street was injured that morning. I hope that the family and friends of Jarel Buchanan as well as the surviving victims feel that justice has been served by this defendant being convicted of all 10 counts in the indictment,” said Acting Erie County DA Mike Keane.
Acting DA Keane commends Detective Mark White and members of the Buffalo Police Department Accident Investigation Unit for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Paul J. Glascott of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Marino of the Felony Trials Bureau.