Buffalo man convicted of killing motorist in wrong-way crash

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Buffalo man was sentenced Tuesday afternoon for killing a motorist in a wrong-way crash on I-190 on Aug. 12, 2023, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Guillermo Morales, 53, was sentenced to an indeterminate term of five to 15 years in prison.

Authorities said that around 3 a.m., Morales was driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and caused a collision on I-190 near the Scajaquada Freeway.

He was driving northbound on the southbound side of the highway when he crashed his pickup truck head-on into another vehicle driven by Matthew Czop, 38, of Tonawanda. Czop was pronounced dead at the scene.

Morales was taken by ambulance to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries and was arraigned later the same day while hospitalized at ECMC.

During the investigation, Morales was found in possession of powdered cocaine.

He pleaded guilty to the following charges:

• three counts of vehicular manslaughter
• one count of second-degree manslaughter
• one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
• one count of first-degree aggravated driving without a license