Incident

Incident Description

On the morning of May 21, 2022, at approximately 5:00 AM, the Town of Tonawanda Police Department received a call from a passing motorist reporting significant property damage at Elmlawn Memorial Park, located on Delaware Avenue near the I-290 interchange. The caller stated that a vehicle had driven through the cemetery’s perimeter fencing and struck multiple trees.

Officer Michael Belluz arrived at the scene and discovered a tan 1995 Mercury Marquis sedan abandoned within the cemetery grounds. The vehicle had heavily damaged its front end after crashing into a tree. Approximately 60 feet of aluminum fencing was destroyed, and a tree was uprooted. Blood was observed on the vehicle’s airbag and armrest.

While no witnesses were on scene, a resident nearby reported hearing a loud boom around the time of the incident.

At 5:11 AM, Officer Mark Shell located a man walking in the vicinity of Gloucester and Bonnett Avenues with a bleeding hand. The individual was later identified as Christopher Bridgett, an off-duty officer with the Buffalo Police Department with a prior disciplinary history within the Department (6 complaints between 2017–2021, including two excessive force complaints and one off-duty incident). Body-camera footage showed that Bridgett initially denied involvement in the crash. He repeatedly claimed he was taking a late-night walk and later stated that a cousin had been driving the vehicle. After further questioning, Bridgett eventually admitted to being the sole occupant and driver at the time of the crash.

Despite Bridgett's admission and the presence of blood matching his injuries at the scene, officers did not conduct a field sobriety test, administer a breathalyzer, or issue a citation for leaving the scene of a property-damage accident. Bridgett declined medical treatment on-site and made no sworn statement.

Lieutenant Partyka placed his body camera in “covert mode” during a follow-up interaction with Bridgett, during which Bridgett admitted, “I f---ed up,” confirming he had been driving alone.

Captain Corey Flatau, who had been summoned to the scene off duty due to Bridgett’s status as a fellow officer, made the determination not to issue a ticket. Captain Flatau had a past DWI conviction (2018), also involving initial denial of being the driver in his own incident.

Outcome

Chief James P. Stauffiger later stated the decision to forgo citations fell within officer discretion. The accident report attributes the cause to “driver inattention/distraction.” The vehicle was towed, and insurance covered approximately $8,000 in damages to cemetery property.

Buffalo Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division reviewed the incident. No internal disciplinary action was taken. The Erie County District Attorney's Office was not notified of the event.