BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A 14-year-old boy from Buffalo was killed in a crash at Elmwood Avenue and Amherst Street on Sunday.
Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia held a press conference on Tuesday to release more information.
Gramaglia said a marked Buffalo police vehicle was parked in the area of Hertel and Sterling Avenues on a directed patrol, and a Hyundai Elantra was observed traveling at a high rate of speed west on Hertel. The Buffalo police vehicle began driving in the direction of the Elantra to possibly attempt a traffic stop but was not in a position anywhere near the Elantra.
According to Gramaglia, city cameras along Hertel showed the police vehicle never had emergency lights and was not in what police consider a pursuit driving mode and the Elantra was considerably ahead of the police.
The commissioner explained that the Elantra eventually turned onto Botsford Place, made its way through parking lots and continued onto Elmwood Avenue. Police then engaged emergency lights in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop but the Elantra continued to speed.
Police said the Elantra went through a red light at Elmwood and Amherst and crashed into two other vehicles. The driver of the Elantra, a 14-year-old boy from Buffalo, was taken to ECMC where he was pronounced dead.
Gramaglia said a data download of the Elantra post-collision showed its speed was around 80 MPH just before the crash and at the point of impact.
According to Gramaglia, he would not consider what occurred to be a pursuit. He said police were attempting to make a traffic stop and attempting to stop an aggressive driver. He said the police vehicle wasn't in a position to be on top of the Elantra and that is evidenced by an uninvolved vehicle that was between the police vehicle and the Elantra.
The driver of the Elantra was a student at Southside Elementary School in Buffalo. Police have identified the boy as 14-year-old Jusias Pearsall of Buffalo.
The commissioner explained that the BPD Accident Investigation Unit and Internal Affairs are investigating. BPD did contact the NYS Attorney General's Office out of an abundance of caution. Gramaglia said the AG is still investigating to determine if they have jurisdiction to investigate the case.
At the time of the crash, the Elantra was not reported stolen but it has since been determined that it was stolen.
Gramaglia said at the scene where the Elantra was stolen, there was another stolen vehicle that was left running. He said it is believed they stole that vehicle first and then stole the Elantra and ditched the original vehicle.
