Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that Justin R. Goodrich, 35, of Lancaster, was sentenced yesterday morning before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to three years of probation.
On the morning of Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at approximately 6:50 a.m., the defendant and victim were involved in a road rage-related incident on Union Road in the Town of Cheektowaga. The defendant, with the intent to harass, annoy or alarm, yelled profanity and racial slurs at the victim while their vehicles were stopped at the intersection of Union Road and George Urban Boulevard. Two children were inside the victim’s vehicle at the time of the incident.
After the adult victim threw coins at the defendant, he exited his vehicle, reached through the open passenger side window of the victim’s vehicle and grabbed one of the children around the collar of their shirt. The defendant continued to shout racial epithets toward the victims before returning to his vehicle and driving away. The adult victim followed the defendant to a residence on Laurentian Drive where he continued to shout racial slurs. After the encounter, the adult victim filed a report at the Cheektowaga Police Department. The defendant, who voluntarily turned himself in to police, was subsequently arrested.
In February 2026, Goodrich pleaded guilty to one count of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree (Class A misdemeanor). Goodrich entered a guilty plea to the charge in full satisfaction of the indictment.
As part of the sentencing proceeding, final orders of protection were issued on behalf of the adult victim and the two children, which remain in effect until May 2031.
DA Keane commends Officer Michael Scapillato of the Cheektowaga Police Department as well as ECDA Confidential Criminal Investigators John Paradowski and Jason Mayhook for their work in this investigation as well as victim advocates Nicole Haffa and Cathy Mitchell.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Danielle N. D’Abate and Assistant District Attorney Rebecca A. Fioravanti of the Felony Trials Bureau.