Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that Eric S. Gardner, age 48, of Niagara Falls, plead guilty this morning to the crime of Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree.
Gardner admitted to driving his vehicle on Ridge Road in the Town of Hartland on August 26, 2022, with a blood alcohol content of over .18 of 1%, and thereby causing the death of Stacy Donnelly, age 46 of Gasport. Donnelly was riding in the front passenger seat of Gardner’s vehicle when it left the roadway, struck a tree and rolled, killing her. The plea was entered as jury selection for trial was about to begin.
“The defendant showed complete disregard for the safety of his passenger and anyone else who might have been on the road that night. His blood alcohol was three times the legal limit and he also had cocaine in his system. The sad and completely avoidable result is that Stacy’s family, her children and grandchildren, will live the rest of their lives without her,” said Seaman.
Gardner will return to court May 20th to be sentenced by County Court Judge John Ottaviano, who agreed as part of the plea to sentence Gardner to 7 ½ to 15 years in prison. The case was investigated by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Seaman and Vehicular Crimes Bureau Chief Christine Savoia.
No further information is available at this time.
Buffalo Woman Arrested in Niagara Falls on Gun Charges Following Domestic Incident