BUFFALO, NY — A truck driver from Ballston Spa, who was online shopping before a fatal accident on the I-90, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter on Thursday.
Kristofer Gregorek, 27, was driving a box truck on June 8 on the I-90WB in Lancaster when he rear-ended a vehicle driven by Ellen M. Volpe, 45, of Rochester. Volpe died at the scene. A third driver involved in the accident was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Volpe, an assistant professor at the University at Buffalo's School of Nursing, was on her way to work at the time of the crash.
According to prosecutors, Gregorek was using the internet on his cell phone and traveling 70 mph when the crash occurred at a construction site near Exit 49 (Depew).
“This is an awful tragedy where a wife, mother and member of the UB community lost her life due to reckless, distracted driving," Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said. "My condolences go out to the family of Ellen Volpe, and hopefully by the defendant pleading guilty to the highest charge it provides them a sense of closure.”
Gregorek faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 28.
Volpe's husband, John McIntyre was in court Thursday for the proceedings. He told reporters that his wife was a wonderful mother, wife, nurse, teacher, researcher and that he and his sons miss her very much.
