BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County legislators are calling for an investigation into an alleged hit-and-run involving Erie County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) Chief of Narcotics Daniel “DJ” Granville, an incident that some lawmakers say they only just learned about—nearly a year after it happened.
“This incident doesn’t pass the smell check, and it’s our job to take a further look into it,” Legislator Lindsay Lorgio said.
Granville is accused of crashing a county-owned vehicle into several cars on Buffalo’s West Side, an incident that resulted in $60,000 in taxpayer-funded settlements.
A lawsuit alleges that Granville was "in an impaired condition" at the time of the crash. You can watch our previous report on the lawsuit below.
Questions Over Granville’s Duty Status
The Erie County Attorney told 7 News that Granville was on duty the night of the crash. However, records obtained by 7 News from the Erie County Comptroller’s Office indicate that Granville worked his regular shift from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with overtime until 6 p.m.—meaning he was off duty when the crash occurred.
Adding to concerns, the Buffalo Police Department’s accident report was signed by Lt. Lucia Esquilin—who, according to Investigative Post, is Granville’s sister-in-law.
When asked directly about the incident at a news conference Tuesday, Granville declined to comment.
Lawmakers Demand Investigation
Erie County Legislature Chair Tim Meyers and lawmakers on the other side of the aisle want answers.
“This is not going to go away,” Meyers said. “This is bigger than me and everybody in this room.”
Republican legislators Lindsay Lorigo, Chris Greene, and Frank Todaro have introduced and passed a resolution formally requesting an investigation, as well as the attendance and sworn testimony of multiple county officials, including the county attorney and the sheriff.
Lawmakers said they would use their subpoena power if necessary to uncover what happened.
“I hold him accountable because we are held accountable,” Todaro said. “If we get the opportunity, Chair Meyers will call that session, and we can have that investigative committee together.”
"We have a problem here that we need to address, and that's why this is so much deeper and bigger than at the surface level," Lorigo said.
The Erie County Legislature is expected to take further action in the coming weeks.
I reached out to the Erie County District Attorney's Office to ask if investigating this case would present a conflict of interest, given the office's close working relationship with the Sheriff’s Office.
A spokesperson responded:
We've been advised that the Buffalo Police Department is conducting an investigation. Upon completion of their investigation, we anticipate receiving their conclusions and will proceed accordingly.
Potential conflicts of interest are always evaluated to ensure that a thorough and impartial investigation is conducted. If there is a conflict of interest or any appearance of impropriety, our office can request that the Court appoint a special prosecutor.
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