CITY OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — The City of Tonawanda Police Department announced a Hamburg man is facing several charges, accused of killing a pedestrian in a hit-and-run, causing multiple crashes and stealing at least one vehicle.
Captain Kevin Ulmer said it all started with a reported hit-and-run in the Town of Evans. Hamburg Police were notified and pursued the suspect, 31-year-old Mark Whalen, who was driving in a white van with a woman in the passenger seat.
"This is out of the ordinary, especially for our city," Capt. Ulmer said.
The Hamburg Police Department told me that they chased the car until it reached the base of Route 5 near Ohio Street.
Capt. Ulmer said Whalen continued driving over the Skyway, traveling through Buffalo to Delaware Avenue and eventually made it to the Northtowns where he allegedly struck another vehicle in the Town of Tonawanda. The driver of the vehicle that was hit then followed Whalen at a high rate of speed.
"I've been doing this job for over 20 years now. I've never responded to a scene of this magnitude. So it absolutely shakes the foundation of the city," Capt. Ulmer said.
Watch: Kristen Mirand reports with new information from the scene of the crash in Tonawanda
Police said Whalen was then driving on Delaware Street in the City of Tonawanda where he struck and killed a 40-year-old man who was crossing the street. Police said Whalen didn't stop and then rear-ended another vehicle and crashed into fences at the intersection of Delaware and Young Streets.
“The suspect vehicle pulled to the side of the road and I believe this driver just got out of the car to see what happened and with that, the suspect driver jumped out of his vehicle got into the other vehicle, stole it and went over the bridge into North Tonawanda,” Capt. Ulmer said.
Capt. Ulmer said the female passenger in the van was extricated and taken to ECMC. He said Whalen attempted to carjack another vehicle in North Tonawanda but was taken into custody.
The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced Whalen was arraigned in Tonawanda City Court on the following charges:
- Manslaughter in the Second Degree
- Grand Larceny in the Third Degree
- Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree
- Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree
- Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Accident
- Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree
- Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree
- Reckless Driving
- Several New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law violations
Whalen is scheduled to return on Friday for a felony hearing and was held without bail.
Police ask if you have any information to call 716-692-2121 ext. 304 or ext 0.
You can watch the entire police update below.
