Driver of van that crashed into McKinley Monument faces vehicular manslaughter charge

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced the driver of the van that crashed into the McKinley Monument in Niagara Square on November 26 faces a vehicular manslaughter charge.

The district attorney's office says 40-year-old Paul Tolbert of Buffalo was virtually arraigned from a hospital rehabilitation facility on one count of vehicular manslaughter in the second degree Tuesday.

Tolbert is accused of driving a minivan at a high rate of speed south on Delaware Avenue and then crashing the vehicle into the McKinley Monument in Niagara Square.

The crash killed Tolbert's passenger, 34-year-old Angel Marie Cobb of Buffalo. Tolbert has been hospitalized since the crash.

He is scheduled to return to court January 11 for a felony hearing, he was remanded without bail and faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted of the charge.