BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Tonawanda man has been arraigned in Buffalo City Court in connection to a crash that killed a bicyclist.
Zaire Pittman of Tonawanda was charged with vehicular manslaughter in the second degree and "ability impaired by drugs."
The Buffalo Police Department is investigating the deadly crash that happened Friday night on the city's East Side.
Police say around 11:30 p.m. a Ford Taurus was driving eastbound on East Ferry Street, near Wohlers Avenue, when the vehicle hit a bicyclist who was in the road. The 54-year-old victim was declared dead at the scene.
“This defendant is accused of driving while under the influence of marijuana, which resulted in the tragic death of this woman. While it is now legal to smoke or consume cannabis in New York, it remains illegal for a person to drive a vehicle while high. It is my duty as District Attorney to ensure that our roads remain safe. If you are caught driving under the influence of marijuana, alcohol or any other illicit substance, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn.
If convicted, Pittman faces a maximum of seven years behind bars.
Police say they're still trying to identify the bicyclist.