BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — More than four months after a Buffalo garbage truck struck and seriously injured a teenager, the driver is now facing criminal charges and possible jail time for her role in the October crash.
Sasiya Malika Davis Johnson, also known as Cecilia Davis-Johnson, was arraigned Monday afternoon on charges of felony assault and reckless driving. A grand jury indicted her late last week, leading to her arrest over the weekend.
The crash occurred in October when 17-year-old Klaw Reh was walking to school. The accident resulted in him losing his leg and suffering severe spinal injuries. You can watch our previous report below and read more here.
According to a police report, the person who was supposed to be acting as the spotter was in the passenger seat talking on his cell phone instead of being outside the truck. The report also noted that the driver's commercial driver's license was suspended at the time of the incident.
Following the arraignment, Davis Johnson’s attorney, TheArthur Duncan, confirmed that she is no longer employed by the City of Buffalo. He also stated that he believes the matter should be resolved civilly rather than through criminal proceedings.
"She's been tore up about this since this occurred," Duncan said. "I mean, you're looking at a young lady who's just working again. She's a mother, a grandmother, a member of my church and never been in trouble before. This is a very, very unfortunate incident."
After spending the weekend at the Erie County Holding Center, the judge released Davis Johnson under supervision.
"You know, this is a tragedy," Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane said. "There are no winners here. But this boy was hurt very seriously. You know, she's driving for over a city block backward down a one-way street. But for her conduct and do in doing this…he would not have been injured the way he was."
Meanwhile, she is also facing a lawsuit filed by Reh’s family. The lawsuit names Davis-Johnson, another city employee, and the City of Buffalo as defendants.
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