BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Tonawanda man has been arraigned on charges that he was high on cannabis earlier this year when he struck and killed a woman riding her bike.
Zaire Pittman, 25, was arraigned Monday morning on charges of Vehicular Manslaughter and Driving While Ability Impaired by a Drug.
The Erie County District Attorney's office said Pittman hit 54-year-old Carolyn Carter on East Ferry near Wohlers Avenue in Buffalo shortly before midnight on May 7. Carter died at the scene.
“This defendant is accused of driving while high on marijuana, which resulted in the tragic death of this woman. While it is now legal for a person to smoke or consume cannabis in New York State, 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 of both charges, Pittman faces a maximum of seven years in prison.
