Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 60-year-old William B. Gray of Buffalo pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon before State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller to one count of Falsely Reporting an Incident in the First Degree (Class “D” felony). The defendant pleaded guilty, as charged, to the only count in the indictment against him.

On April 15, 2020, at approximately 12:40 p.m., a Buffalo Police officer was responding to a high-priority call of a report of a person with a knife on Wyoming Avenue. As the officer was driving the patrol vehicle, with emergency lights flashing, he collided with another vehicle on Main Street near Benwood Avenue. Two pedestrians were subsequently injured as a result of the crash.

The officer, the two occupants of the other vehicle, and the two pedestrians were taken to the hospital. One pedestrian continues to recover from serious injuries. The other four individuals were treated and released.

The defendant admitted to making the 911 phone call that resulted in serious physical injury as a result of a crash involving an emergency vehicle that was responding to the defendant’s false report of a person with a knife.

Gray faces a maximum of 7 years in prison when he is sentenced on Monday, July 12, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. He remains released on his own recognizance as the charge is non-qualifying for bail.

 DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department Homicide Unit and the New York State Police Accident Investigation Unit for their work in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Chief Paul J. Glascott of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau.