BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The NFTA has filed claim for a lawsuit against Erie County, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office and a sheriff deputy for a crash last fall involving a sheriff vehicle and metro bus.
The claim, filed in State Supreme Court, accuses deputy Gregory Kent of “reckless disregard for the safety of others” for colliding his sheriff’s office vehicle with a bus.
The crash happened on October 16 at 6:45 a.m. on Grand Island Boulevard near Baseline Road,
The court documents claims there was damage to the bus and personal injury claims for three passengers.
“The collision was caused solely by the negligence, carelessness, and/or reckless disregard for the safety of others,” the suit states.
The NFTA is claiming Kent failed to “keep proper distance” between vehicles, did not hit the brakes and “failed to take proper measures to avoid striking the bus.”
The NFTA also claims the county vehicle was operated at “an excessive and dangerous manner.”
While the claim seeks damages, no monetary amount was noted in the legal filing and the three plaintiffs are unnamed.
NFTA spokeswoman Helen Tederous tells us they "do not comment on litigation."
7 Eyewitness News has reached out to both the county executive’s office and the sheriff’s office.
In an email response, Peter Anderson, spokesperson for Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, said “it is county policy to not comment on pending litigation.”
