Driver arrested after hitting sheriff’s deputy’s patrol car

Local News

January 6, 2011

40-year-old North Tonawanda woman first in county to be charged under Move Over law

Staff Reports Niagara Gazette The Niagara Gazette Thu Jan 06, 2011, 06:23 PM EST

NIAGARA FALLS — A North Tonawanda woman faces several charges, including driving while impaired by drugs and violating the Ambrose-Searles Move Over Act, after driving into a Niagara County Sheriff’s deputy’s patrol car parked on the side of the road and driving off Thursday afternoon.

Linda M. Brandel, 40, 20 Mead St., was also charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, moving from a lane unsafely and speed imprudent for emergency situations.

Deputy Sean Furey said he had pulled over a man on Robinson Road and was making an arrest when Brandel, who was traveling east on Robinson, struck his patrol car in the area of the front driver’s side wheel. Furey said his emergency lights were on at the time of the accident.

The man who was detained during the arrest, was in Furey’s patrol vehicle during the accident but no injuries were reported.

After hitting the patrol car, Brandel kept going but pulled over after Furey pursued her for about a mile.

Once stopped, Deputy Timothy Caughel administered several sobriety tests to Brandel, which she failed. She was remanded to the Niagara County Jail in lieu of $250 and is scheduled for Town of Lockport Court on Tuesday.

Brandel is the first reported person in Niagara County to violate the Ambrose-Searles Move Over Act, which requires drivers to slow down and move over as far as possible while law enforcement officials, fire personnel or emergency officials are parked on the side of the road.

This law took effect on Saturday in honor of two upstate deputies who died while on duty.

• New York State Trooper Robert Ambrose was burned alive inside his vehicle. His patrol car burst into flames when it was rear-ended by an SUV driven by an intoxicated driver at more than 80 mph.

• Onondaga County Sheriff deputy Glenn Searles died from injuries he suffered when assisting a stranded motorist. A second car struck Searles, pinning him against his patrol vehicle.

“Every driver ... has a vested interest in cooperatively keeping the county’s roads safe,” Niagara County Sheriff James R. Voutour said in a release. “The men and women of the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office remain determined to impartially and respectfully enforce the law to protect the life and property of all county (residents).”

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