Greenport man charged in fatal crash in Buffalo
A Greenport man has been charged with vehicular manslaughter for an October crash in Buffalo that left a 47-year-old woman dead, according to the Erie County District Attorney’s Office.
Carlos Velez, 30, was allegedly driving under the influence of marijuana when he drove through a red light and collided with another vehicle in Buffalo. The crash caused Mr. Velez’s car to project onto the sidewalk where it struck a woman standing at a bus stop. Adrienne Early of Buffalo died at the scene, according to the DA.
The crash occurred at the intersection of Genesee Street and Fillmore Avenue.
Mr. Velez was arraigned Thursday before State Supreme Court Justice Paul Wojtaszek on the second-degree vehicular manslaughter charge, a felony, and a traffic violation. He faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted.
The fatal crash occurred Oct. 11, 2018, at approximately 6:30 p.m.
Mr. Velez pleaded not guilty and was remanded without bail.
A grand jury indictment was handed down April 12, at which time a warrant was issued for Mr. Velez’s arrest, according to online court records. A public information officer for the district attorney did not have information on why Mr. Velez was in Buffalo at the time. Mr. Velez had been extradited from Florida to Buffalo, the spokesperson said. It’s unclear if Mr. Velez had returned to Greenport after the crash.
An attorney representing Mr. Velez did not return a phone call for comment.
