Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 52-year-old Guillermo Morales of Buffalo was arraigned on Saturday morning before Buffalo City Court Judge Samuel P. Davis on one count of Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree (Class “C” felony), one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree (Class “C” felony), one count of Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the First Degree, one count of Driving While Intoxicated (Class “E” felonies) and other Vehicle and Traffic Law violations.
It is alleged that on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at approximately 3:06 a.m., the defendant, while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, caused a collision on the I-190 near the Scajaquada Expressway in the City of Buffalo. The defendant was allegedly driving north on the southbound side of the highway when he crashed his pickup truck head-on into another vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle, 38-year-old Matthew J. Czop of Tonawanda, was pronounced dead at the scene.
During the investigation, the defendant was allegedly found in possession of a quantity of suspected cocaine. He was taken by ambulance to be treated for non-life threatening injuries. He was arraigned the same day while hospitalized at ECMC.
Morales is scheduled to return on Friday, August 18, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. for a felony hearing. He was held without bail.
If convicted of the highest count, Morales faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
DA Flynn commends the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit and Bureau of Criminal Investigation for their work in this investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Chief Paul J. Glascott of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau.
As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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