Incident

Incident Description

On April 11th, 2024 Chief of Narcotics and Intelligence for the Erie County Sheriff’s Department Daniel "DJ" Granville, negligently, recklessly, and carelessly drove his county-owned vehicle into eight parked cars on Buffalo’s West Side. 911 recordings from that night reveal multiple callers reporting a hit-and-run. The owner of one of the damaged vehicles claimed in a lawsuit that Granville "was in an impaired condition" at the time of the crashes.

The Buffalo Police Department accident report from that night was signed off by Buffalo Police Lieutenant Lucia Esquilin — who is Granville’s sister-in-law. Five police officers, including Esquilin, are listed as as responding to the 911 calls, along with seven “other personnel.” Granville does not appear to have been given a sobriety test. He was ticketed for driving the wrong way down a one-way street and later paid a $150 fine for jaywalking. Buffalo Police said there was no body camera footage from the responding officers.

His wife, Maria Esquilin Granville — Lieutenant Esquilin’s sister — was a Buffalo police crime technician for more than 11 years. She now works for the Buffalo Sewer Authority.

One witness said the narcotics chief was taken away from the scene in a Buffalo patrol car. His truck and the cars he’d damaged were towed to the city auto impound on Dart Street, while Buffalo cops interviewed witnesses and collected information at the scene.

Outcome

City of Buffalo Response

The City of Buffalo Police Department is conducting an internal affairs investigation, that is likely to focus on the role of Lt. Lucia Esquilin, Granville’s sister-in-law, played in covering up Granville’s crimes. Historically, internal affairs investigations result in no disciplinary action, regardless of the misconduct or the evidence available.

Chris Scanlon, Buffalo's Acting Mayor, has stated that he cannot not comment due to the ongoing internal affairs investigation, and that the accident occurred before he became Acting Mayor. Scanlon was, however, and still is the South District Council Member.

During a Council meeting, Niagara District Council Member David Rivera introduced a letter to Buffalo Police Commissioner Al Wright asking him to attend the next Police Oversight Committee Meeting to discuss what happened. He said that, “it’s important this Common Council go on record just as the legislature that we’re not going to sweep it under the rug, This is not accusatory nor exculpatory. This is trying to find out information on what occurred, the conduct of the officers and whether or not this matter can be referred to the State Attorney General’s Office."

Erie County Response

Several claims related to the crash have cost Erie County taxpayers nearly $60,000 to settle.

Despite this, Granville remains in his position, and there has been no indication of disciplinary action.

Erie County Sheriff John Garcia was asked about the allegations and said, “the Buffalo Police Department is doing an internal affairs investigation, so until that concludes to me it’s a car accident, I haven’t heard otherwise and I think from day one my administration and myself have been transparent in every single case that has come before me and that won’t change, that will continue.”

Garcia has said his office did not conduct its own investigation into whether Granville was intoxicated when he damaged eight vehicles on April 11, 2024.  The sheriff’s Accident Investigation Unit is typically dispatched whenever a county vehicle is involved in a crash. The Sheriff's Office also opens Professional Standards Division investigations into any alleged misconduct by deputies, but there is no indication that was done in Granville's case.  

Erie County Legislature Chairman Tim Meyers said there is a “a lack of transparency” from both the sheriff’s office and the Buffalo Police Department.

The Erie County Legislature on set a date — April 24 — for its own public hearings to investigate the Granville controversy. Legislature Meyers, said legislators have invited Garcia, Granville and Erie County Attorney Jeremy Toth. Garcia has said he will appear before lawmakers to answer questions.