BUFFALO, N.Y. — The driver connected to a fatal crash in South Buffalo has accepted a deal to plead guilty.
Antonio Brown pled guilty Tuesday in Erie County Court to four charges related to the deaths of Anthony Twentyfive III and Kristin LaBruno.
Brown, 34, of Buffalo, was reportedly under the influence when the Maserati he was driving struck a Toyota occupied by Twentyfive and Labruno on Seneca Street just after 2:30 a.m. on October 27, 2019. Both were taken to the hospital where they later died from their injuries.
Brown pled guilty to charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter, and two counts of manslaughter. He is now facing a maximum sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced in September. He remains released on $50,000 bail previously posted in Buffalo City Court.
Erie County DA John Flynn says, "He was driving with a BAC of point .18 so he was twice - over twice the legal limit of blood alcohol level and he's flying down Seneca Street in a Maserati in pitch dark pouring rain. Obviously his actions were beyond reckless and obviously criminal."
Immediately following the proceedings Brown's attorney, Dan Dubois, spoke briefly with reporters.
"We've come to a point where Mr. Brown and through basically going over the facts of the case, we decided it was time for him to take accountability for his role in what happened that night," he said.
DuBois says his client had no criminal history and they hoped his plea would provide some closure for the Twentyfive and LaBruno families.
Flynn says the judge apparently agreed to a lighter sentence instead of that potential 25 year maximum.
Sources say there may be a civil lawsuit filed against Antonio Brown as well.
In addition to pandemic-related delays, the investigation was being held up because investigators were waiting for information from the black box inside the 2008 Maserati to determine the speed of the vehicle and when the driver hit the brakes. Erie County District Attorney John Flynn had said the black box needed to be sent to Italy.
There were also many inaccurate claims swirling on social media that Antonio Brown was being protected as part of a cover-up because he was related to Mayor Brown. But that also was not true.