BUFFALO, N.Y. — On Tuesday, a Town of Tonawanda man was given prison time for hitting a senior living complex with his car and killing a woman.
Edward T. Harris, 36, was give two to six years in prison. As part of the sentence, the judge ordered his license be revoked for a year following his release.
“It has been nearly three and a half years since Lida Alminate tragically lost her life due to this defendant’s reckless decision to drive while under the influence of cannabis. I hope that her family feels that justice has been served by this defendant being convicted of a felony and sentenced to state prison today,” Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said.
Harris was previously found guilty of second-degree vehicular manslaughter (class "D" felony) and acquitted of a murder charge for the death of a senior housing complex resident.
Harris was driving while high on marijuana at a high rate of speed on Oakridge Avenue in the Town of Tonawanda in 2019 when he crossed Delaware Avenue and drove into a parking lot.
Harris' car hit a parked car before he crashed into the Ken-Ton Presbyterian Village apartment building.
The car hit the wall of an occupied apartment and caused serious structural damage to the building. Lida C. Alminate, 94, was in her apartment at the time of the crash and was injured by fallen debris.
Alminate was taken to ECMC where she died from her injuries four days later, according to officials.