Allyson Rollek

OBSERVER Staff Report

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced Friday that 26-year-old Allyson Rollek of the town of Collins pleaded guilty before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to one count of second-degree vehicular manslaughter, a Class D felony. The defendant pleaded guilty to the highest possible charge.

On Sept. 29, 2018, at approximately 2:18 p.m., the defendant was driving westbound on Creek Road in the town of Concord when she crossed over the double yellow line into the eastbound lane and collided head-on with another vehicle. The crash killed the driver of the other vehicle, 66-year-old Ralph Spaulding of Java Center, and injured his 11-year-old passenger.

The Erie County Sheriff’s Office deputies who spoke with the defendant at the scene reported that her manner of speech and demeanor was consistent with narcotic use. Laboratory tests were conducted, which detected the presence of fentanyl in the defendant’s blood.

Rollek faces a maximum of 7 in prison when she is sentenced on Aug. 26, at 2 p.m.

DA Flynn commends the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Unit for their work in the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christopher M. McCarthy of the DA’s Vehicular Crimes Bureau.