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Jury finds Grand Island man guilty of murder in fatal crash on Main Street

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A jury found a Grand Island man guilty of murder and assault in connection with a fatal crash on Main Street in Buffalo in March 2023.

The Erie County Prosecutor’s Office announced that a jury found Ronald F. Olson, II, 44, of Grand Island, guilty of one count of second-degree murder, four counts of assault and battery first degree and five counts of second degree assault. .

According to the prosecutor’s office, on March 20, 2023, Olson was attempting to sell clothing to occupants of a Jeep at a gas station on Main Street near Winspear Avenue. After the encounter, the driver of the Jeep exited the parking lot and continued on Main Street. Olson believed they took off with clothes and chased the Jeep. He struck the driver’s side of the Jeep with his truck, causing the Jeep to veer off the roadway and strike a light pole and then a tree near the intersection of Main Street and Benwood Avenue .

The driver of the Jeep, Jarel Buchanan, 18, died at the scene. There were also four passengers in the Jeep, they suffered various serious physical injuries but survived.

Olson is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 20. He remains held without bail. He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

“No one should lose their life because of clothing. This defendant’s reckless actions resulted in the death of a young man, paralysis of another young victim, and serious injury to three other teenagers. Fortunately, the passengers survived the horrific accident and no one else on the street was injured that morning. I hope that the family and friends of Jarel Buchanan and the surviving victims feel that justice has been served through the conviction of this defendant on all 10 counts contained in the indictment. »

– Mike Keane, Acting Erie County Prosecutor

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