Lockport, NY - Teen Pleads to Stealing / Crashing Police Car - "I was Under the Influence."
COUNTY COURT: Teen pleads to stealing police car
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
— A teen who stole a city police car after an early-morning traffic stop in
January entered a guilty plea Thursday morning.
Samantha Danley, 17, 174 Genesee St., Apt. B, pleaded guilty in Niagara
County Court to fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a felony.
Danley faces 16 months to four years in prison when she is sentenced on May 3.
Danley was originally charged with driving without a license, second-degree
criminal mischief, third-degree possession of a weapon and third-degree
unauthorized use of a vehicle.
The incident began just after 2 a.m. Jan. 19, when a car driven by Sereka J.
Green, 33, 6551 Lincoln Place, Apt. H, was pulled over on Gooding Street. Danley
was the passenger.
Green allegedly fled from the traffic stop, and as he was being chased,
Danley got out of his car and into the police car. She then drove the car to the
intersection of Walnut and Pine streets.
Danley left the car in drive and ran away, leaving it to roll down the hill
and crash into the garage door at Express Tire, 66 Walnut St.
Danley turned herself in at the Lockport Police Department later that morning.
In court on Thursday, Judge Sara Sheldon Sperrazza expressed disbelief that
Danley had committed such a crime.
“How in heaven did this happen?” Sperrazza asked.
“They were chasing the boy I was with (and) I got scared,” Danley replied. “I
was under the influence of alcohol. Truthfully, I don’t know what I was
thinking.”
Danley was being held in lieu of $10,000 bail, but Assistant District Attorney
Charles Pitarresi said he would not oppose lowering that amount.
Sperrazza set bail at $1,000, on the condition that if it’s posted, Danley abide
by a 9 p.m. curfew.
“And I’m going to be checking on you,” she told the teen.
Contact April Amadon at 439-9222, Ext. 6251.