Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that a 16-year-old male from Buffalo was arraigned this morning before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan, a designated Youth Part Judge, on an indictment charging him with the following offenses:

• Four counts of Manslaughter in the Second Degree (Class “C” felonies)
• One count of Assault in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felony)
• One count of Assault in the Second Degree (Class “D” felony)
• One count of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree (Class “D” felony)

It is alleged that on Monday, October 24, 2022, at approximately 6:45 a.m., the defendant was operating a vehicle, without the owner’s consent, on the inbound Kensington Expressway when the crash occurred near the entrance to the westbound Scajaquada Expressway. The vehicle, a Kia Sportage, had been reported stolen earlier that morning from Marine Drive in the City of Buffalo. All five passengers were ejected from the vehicle upon impact.

The defendant is accused of recklessly causing the death of his four passengers. Three of the passengers, a 17-year-old male, 16-year-old male and a 14-year-old female, were pronounced dead at the scene. A fourth passenger, a 19-year-old male, died at ECMC.

The fifth passenger, a 14-year-old female, was hospitalized at ECMC with serious physical injuries, but has since been released. The adolescent offender was treated for minor injuries and released from the hospital.

The adolescent offender is scheduled to return on Monday, November 28, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. for a pre-trial conference. He was released under supervision with an ankle monitor device.

Youth Part Judge Freedman issued a temporary order of protection on behalf of the surviving victim at the adolescent offender’s initial arraignment. Today, Judge Eagan stated that the order of protection remains in effect.

DA Flynn commends Buffalo Police Department Accident Investigation Unit for their work in this investigation. 

The case is being prosecuted by Chief Paul J. Glascott of the Vehicular Crimes Unit, Assistant District Attorney Lucas Fromen of the Justice Courts Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Christine O. Murray of the Vehicular Crimes Unit.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the adolescent offender is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.