LOCKPORT — Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman announced that Eric S. Gardner, age 48, of Niagara Falls, was sentenced this morning to spend the next 7 ½ to 15 years in prison for his conviction of the crime of Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree. Gardner previously plead guilty 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.
“Today brings the legal ordeal of almost three years to an end for Stacy’s family. The defendant will pay a price for his actions, although no sentence will ever repay Stacy’s family for what they have lost,” said Seaman.
The sentence was handed down by County Court Judge John Ottaviano. The case was investigated by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Seaman and Vehicular Crimes Bureau Chief Christine Savoia.