Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 27-year-old Blair Bell of Cheektowaga was arraigned before Cheektowaga Town Court Justice Paul S. Piotrowski on one count of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a Class “D” felony, and two counts of Driving While Intoxicated, misdemeanor charges. 

It is alleged that 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 on Pine Ridge Road in the Town of Cheektowaga. The defendant is accused of hitting the victim and her car door as she was removing items from her own vehicle. The victim was taken to ECMC where she was pronounced dead.

Bell is scheduled to return to court for a felony hearing on Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 9 a.m. He was released on his own recognizance.

If convicted on the charges, Bell faces a maximum of 7 years in prison.

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

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

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