(WNY News Now) – BUFFALO, N.Y. – A Buffalo garbage truck operator has been indicted on felony assault and reckless driving charges for allegedly striking and seriously injuring a teenage pedestrian on the city’s West Side.
Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced that Sasiya M. Davis-Johnson, 47, of Buffalo, was arraigned on one count of Assault in the Second Degree (Class D felony) and one count of Reckless Driving (unclassified misdemeanor). The indictment stems from an incident on October 2, 2024, at approximately 8:16 a.m., near the intersection of Rhode Island Street and 14th Street in Buffalo.
Prosecutors allege that Davis-Johnson, while working for the Buffalo Department of Public Works, put the garbage truck in reverse and drove the wrong way on Rhode Island Street, striking a 17-year-old male pedestrian who was crossing the street. The victim sustained severe injuries and was transported to Erie County Medical Center (ECMC), where he underwent multiple surgeries, including an amputation of his left leg.
The prosecution sought a $250,000 bail, but Davis-Johnson was released under supervision. A court date has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the most serious charge, she faces up to seven years in prison.
District Attorney Keane commended the Buffalo Police Department Accident Investigation Unit for their work on the case. The prosecution is being handled by Chief Patrick B. Shanahan and Assistant District Attorney Natasha G. Greenan of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau.
As are all persons accused of a crime, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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