Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 30-year-old Carlos Velez of Greenport, New York pleaded guilty before Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio to one count of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree. The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest count in the indictment against him.

On October 11, 2018, at approximately 6:30 p.m., the defendant, while under the influence of marijuana, drove through a red light and crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Genesee Street and Fillmore Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The crash caused the defendant’s vehicle to project onto the sidewalk and hit a woman who was standing at the bus stop.

The victim, 47-year-old Adrienne Early of Buffalo, died at the scene. Velez and the other driver were unharmed in the crash.

Velez faces a maximum of 7 years in prison when he is sentenced on Thursday, May 7, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. He continues to remain held without bail.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department Accident Investigation Unit for their work on the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher M. McCarthy of the DA’s Vehicular Crimes Bureau.