A former Erie County sheriff’s deputy was sentenced today to two to six years in prison for striking and critically injuring a motorcyclist in August at Sheridan Drive and Bailey Avenue in Amherst.
Michael Haug, 29, of Kenmore, who was an off-duty deputy at the time of the crash, had faced anywhere from probation to up to seven years in state prison. He pleaded guilty in November to vehicular assault and driving while intoxicated.
“It would be an understatement to say the case is tragic and ironic,” said Erie County Judge Thomas P. Franczyk.
The victim, Daniel J. Colosimo, 37, of the Town of Tonawanda, said he cannot forgive Haug.
“Being a sheriff’s deputy, I thought you were supposed to uphold the law,” Colosimo said during the sentencing hearing.
“Daniel, I know anything I say right now will never take away the pain,” Haug told Colosimo. “I wish you the best.”
Franczyk made no sentencing promises when Haug pleaded guilty in November but at the time indicated he was inclined to cap the sentence at four years.
One of the reasons the judge said he opted for a longer sentence was a 2009 incident in which Haug was pulled over for drinking and driving but not charged.
“You were shown a professional courtesy,” Franczyk said. “I don’t think that did you any favors.”
Facing prosecution from that incident might have taught him enough of a lesson so he would have avoided driving drunk the morning he struck Colosimo, the judge said.
Colosimo suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was thrown from his 1982 Suzuki motorcycle. He underwent about a half a dozen surgeries and has scars from his head to his feet. Colosimo suffered a torn small intestine, bruised internal organs and leg fractures.
“With the extent of my injuries, I shouldn’t be here,” he said.
The crash happened at about 4 a.m. Aug. 4, when Haug was off duty.
Colosimo was taken to Erie County Medical Center, where he was admitted in critical condition and treated for his injuries.
Colosimo was stopped at a red light on the westbound side of Sheridan Drive, at Bailey Avenue. He was struck from behind by Haug, who was driving a 2011 Jeep, Amherst police said.
Colosimo was in the courtroom with a dozen friends and families members when Haug was sentenced.
Haug refused a blood-alcohol test the morning of the incident, and Amherst police obtained a court order from a judge to have his blood drawn, authorities said. His blood-alcohol content was 0.25 percent, three times the legal threshold.
Haug admitted drinking seven beers and seven shots of tequila between 1 and 4 a.m., said Kelley A. Omel, chief of the Erie County District Attorney’s Office’s Vehicular Crimes Bureau.
Haug had been on the force for 5 1/2 years at the time.
In Haug’s interview with a probation officer for a pre-sentence report, he said, “I knew I was buzzed but did not think I was drunk,” according to Omel.
Omel asked the judge to sentence Haug to prison.
“I don’t doubt the defendant’s remorse,” Omel told Franczyk. “However, his criminal decisions that night have life-altering consequences for Daniel Colosimo.”
email: plakamp@buffnews.com
Michael Haug, 29, of Kenmore, who was an off-duty deputy at the time of the crash, had faced anywhere from probation to up to seven years in state prison. He pleaded guilty in November to vehicular assault and driving while intoxicated.
“It would be an understatement to say the case is tragic and ironic,” said Erie County Judge Thomas P. Franczyk.
The victim, Daniel J. Colosimo, 37, of the Town of Tonawanda, said he cannot forgive Haug.
“Being a sheriff’s deputy, I thought you were supposed to uphold the law,” Colosimo said during the sentencing hearing.
“Daniel, I know anything I say right now will never take away the pain,” Haug told Colosimo. “I wish you the best.”
Franczyk made no sentencing promises when Haug pleaded guilty in November but at the time indicated he was inclined to cap the sentence at four years.
One of the reasons the judge said he opted for a longer sentence was a 2009 incident in which Haug was pulled over for drinking and driving but not charged.
“You were shown a professional courtesy,” Franczyk said. “I don’t think that did you any favors.”
Facing prosecution from that incident might have taught him enough of a lesson so he would have avoided driving drunk the morning he struck Colosimo, the judge said.
Colosimo suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was thrown from his 1982 Suzuki motorcycle. He underwent about a half a dozen surgeries and has scars from his head to his feet. Colosimo suffered a torn small intestine, bruised internal organs and leg fractures.
“With the extent of my injuries, I shouldn’t be here,” he said.
The crash happened at about 4 a.m. Aug. 4, when Haug was off duty.
Colosimo was taken to Erie County Medical Center, where he was admitted in critical condition and treated for his injuries.
Colosimo was stopped at a red light on the westbound side of Sheridan Drive, at Bailey Avenue. He was struck from behind by Haug, who was driving a 2011 Jeep, Amherst police said.
Colosimo was in the courtroom with a dozen friends and families members when Haug was sentenced.
Haug refused a blood-alcohol test the morning of the incident, and Amherst police obtained a court order from a judge to have his blood drawn, authorities said. His blood-alcohol content was 0.25 percent, three times the legal threshold.
Haug admitted drinking seven beers and seven shots of tequila between 1 and 4 a.m., said Kelley A. Omel, chief of the Erie County District Attorney’s Office’s Vehicular Crimes Bureau.
Haug had been on the force for 5 1/2 years at the time.
In Haug’s interview with a probation officer for a pre-sentence report, he said, “I knew I was buzzed but did not think I was drunk,” according to Omel.
Omel asked the judge to sentence Haug to prison.
“I don’t doubt the defendant’s remorse,” Omel told Franczyk. “However, his criminal decisions that night have life-altering consequences for Daniel Colosimo.”
email: plakamp@buffnews.com