Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 28-year-old Blair Bell of Cheektowaga pleaded guilty before State Supreme Court Justice Paul Wojtaszek to one count of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a Class “D” felony. He pleaded guilty to the highest charge on Thursday, October 17, 2019.

On May 4, 2019, at approximately 11:30 p.m., the defendant was driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol when he struck 46-year-old Tonya Gravely. The defendant hit the victim as she was removing items from her own vehicle that was parked on Pine Ridge Road in the Town of Cheektowaga. The victim was taken to ECMC where she was pronounced dead.

Bell faces a maximum of 7 years in prison when he is sentenced on Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. He was released on his own recognizance.

DA Flynn commends Lt. Steven Berecz of the Cheektowaga Police Department for his work in the investigation.

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