TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Town of Tonawanda police officer has resigned as part of a plea deal in connection with a 2019 crash.
The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced that 38-year-old Howard Scholl, III pleaded guilty in Erie County Court to one count of falsifying business records in the second degree.
The district attorney's office said on the night of January 19, 2019 Scholl, who was off-duty at the time, was driving his vehicle on Englewood Avenue when he drove through a stop sign and caused a crash with another vehicle at St. Johns Avenue. Scholl's wife was in the front passenger seat of the vehicle at the time of the crash. He admitted he caused a false accident report to be made, with intent to defraud, by saying his wife was driving the vehicle.
EDITOR'S NOTE: 7 Eyewitness News has chosen to use Scholl's mugshot in accordance with our station mugshot policy, as he has pleaded guilty. You can read our full mugshot policy here.
In May 2019, Scholl was charged with falsifying business records and one count of insurance fraud. His wife was charged with falsifying business records.
Scholl was suspended without pay pending termination proceedings but in August 2019 State Supreme Court Judge Mark Grisanti ruled in favor of Scholl, ordering that he be reinstated with back pay. Scholl and his wife were arraigned in Erie County Court in June 2020.
The case against his wife has been adjourned in contemplation of dismissal, according to the district attorney's office.
Scholl was sentenced to a conditional discharge and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. As part of his plea he resigned from the Town of Tonawanda Police Department.
