BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced that a 17-year-old boy from Buffalo was sentenced as a youthful offender before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan, a designated Youth Part Judge, to one and one-third to four years of incarceration.
The district attorney's office said the boy, who was 16 years old at the time of the crash, was behind the wheel of a stolen Kia Sportage that crashed on Route 33 near Route 198 on October 24, 2022. The driver and five passengers were in the vehicle, the district attorney's office said the five passengers were ejected from the vehicle on impact. Three passengers were pronounced dead at the scene and the fourth passenger was pronounced dead at ECMC.
READ MORE: BPD: Four people dead, another in the ICU following rollover crash on Route 33
Police later identified the four people that were killed:
- Marcus Webster, a 19-year-old man from Buffalo
- Swazine Swindle, a 17-year-old boy from Buffalo
- Kevin Payne, a 16-year-old boy from Buffalo
- Ahjanae Harper, a 14-year-old girl from Buffalo
The fifth passenger, a 14-year-old girl, was hospitalized but has since been released. The district attorney's office said she continues to recover from serious physical injuries.
The driver was treated for minor injuries and released from the hospital.
Police said the theft of the vehicle was possibly linked to a "Kia Challenge" on the social media platform TikTok. Kia America released a statement on the crash on October 27.
READ MORE: Kia America releases statement on fatal crash in Buffalo possibly linked to TikTok 'Kia challenge'
The 17-year-old driver pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree manslaughter, one count of first-degree assault, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property in June.
The district attorney's office said it opposed youthful offender status and requested that the court impose the maximum sentence.
