Former employee pleads guilty to DWAI after crashing Town of Tonawanda vehicle

The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced that 54-year-old Roger D. Murphy of the Town of Tonawanda pleaded guilty in Tonawanda Town Court on Monday to one count of Driving While Ability Impaired.

The district attorney's office said on April 7, 2023, Murphy was driving a Town of Tonawanda street sweeper vehicle west on I-290 when he caused the vehicle to crash near the Colvin Boulevard exit. A single prescription painkiller pill was found inside the vehicle by investigators after the crash.

Murphy, who worked for the Town of Tonawanda Highway Department at the time, was placed on administrative leave and was later terminated.

On Monday he received a one-year conditional discharge and as a condition of his sentence, he was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service. In addition, his driver’s license was revoked.