Attorney General James’ Office of Special Investigation Releases Report on Death of Carl Slone

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) today released its report on the death of Carl Slone, who died on January 10, 2026 following a motor vehicle collision involving an off-duty member of the Erie County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) in Buffalo. After a thorough investigation, which included interviews with civilian witnesses, review of the involved deputy’s written statement and footage from body-worn cameras and a nearby security camera, review of a collision reconstruction analysis, and comprehensive legal analysis, OSI determined that a prosecutor would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the involved officer committed a crime, and therefore criminal charges are not warranted in this case.

At 3:16 p.m. on January 9, an off-duty ECSO deputy was pulling out of a parking lot in his personal truck on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo. The section of Elmwood Avenue where the incident occurred between Allen Street and Virginia Street has no marked crosswalk.

The deputy waited for traffic to clear and then turned left into the southbound lane of Elmwood Avenue. As the deputy turned, Mr. Slone attempted to cross the street. As Mr. Slone neared the yellow double lines in the center of the road, the deputy struck him. The deputy got out of his truck, called 911, and attempted to provide aid to Mr. Slone. Mr. Slone was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight on January 10.

In New York, proving criminally negligent homicide requires proving beyond a reasonable doubt that a person caused a death when they failed to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk that death would occur; that the failure to perceive the risk was a gross deviation from a reasonable person’s standard of care; and that the person engaged in blameworthy conduct. In this case, there is no evidence that the deputy was speeding, driving while distracted, impaired by drugs or alcohol, or otherwise driving in a dangerous manner. The deputy checked to make sure the traffic had cleared before making the turn and slowly entered the roadway. After the deputy hit Mr. Slone, he immediately called for an ambulance and began performing life-saving measures.

In this case, the evidence does not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the deputy’s conduct was a gross deviation from the standard that would have been observed by a reasonable person in the same circumstances, or that the deputy failed to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death. Therefore, OSI concluded that the evidence did not warrant criminal charges.