by John Flynn, Erie County D.A.
BUFFALO (PRESS RELEASE) – Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 31-year-old Orlando Oquendo-Torres of Buffalo pleaded guilty this morning before State Supreme Court Justice Paul B. Wojtaszek to one count of Attempted Assault in the First Degree (Class “C” violent felony).
On July 17, 2021, at approximately 8:16 a.m., Amherst Police responded to a report of shots fired on Mona Drive in the Town of Amherst. Police found the victim outside of his vehicle, which had crashed into a tree at the end of the street. The victim told police that after he stopped his vehicle on Mona Drive, another motorist pulled up alongside, made a threat and pointed a handgun at the victim. The victim ducked and attempted to drive away as the defendant fired multiple shots. The victim subsequently crashed into the tree while attempting to flee the attack.
The victim suffered minor injuries from the collision, but was not injured in the shooting. Investigators recovered a bullet from inside the trunk of the victim’s car as well as multiple shell casings from the street.
The defendant was not known to the victim. The motive for the crime is a suspected road rage incident.
Oquendo-Torres faces a maximum of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced as a second violent felony offender on Thursday, September 1, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. He continues to remain held without bail.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ryan M. Flaherty of the Felony Trials Bureau.
