Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 62-year-old Jeffrey Calhoun of Lockport has been arraigned before State Supreme Court Justice Christopher J. Burns on an indictment charging him with one count of Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree as a Hate Crime, a Class “D” felony, one count of Menacing in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, a Class “E” felony, one count of Criminal Impersonation in the First Degree, a Class “E” felony, and one count of Assault in the Third Degree, a Class “A” misdemeanor,
It is alleged that on Tuesday, July 16, 2019, at approximately 11:25 a.m., the defendant was driving on Colvin Avenue near Sanders Road in the City of Buffalo when he was involved in a traffic incident with another the vehicle. After both the defendant and the other driver exited their vehicles, the defendant allegedly restrained the female victim by taking her car keys and grabbing her purse. The defendant allegedly tried to restrain the victim under circumstances that posed risk of serious physical injury due to a racially motivated bias.
It is further alleged that the defendant grabbed the victim, bit her left arm, and threw her to the ground. The defendant is also accused of claiming that he was a police officer and displaying a handgun during the incident.
Calhoun is scheduled to return on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. He remains released on $75,000 bail that was posted in Buffalo City Court.
If convicted on all charges, Calhoun faces a maximum of 7 years in prison.
