NEWFANE, N.Y. — A North Carolina man is facing several felony charges following a violent rollover collision in Niagara County on Wednesday evening. The crash, which occurred in the Town of Newfane, resulted in serious injuries to three individuals, including a young teenager.
Reporting for the Lake Erie Times, William Strasmore has confirmed that the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene at the intersection of Day Road and Wheeler Road at approximately 6:16 p.m. Preliminary investigations indicate that a 2018 Dodge Ram pickup truck traveling northbound on Day Road failed to stop at a posted stop sign, leading to a high-impact collision with a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox heading eastbound.
Investigation into the Newfane Rollover
The force of the impact caused the Dodge Ram to overturn multiple times. According to investigators, two passengers were ejected from the pickup truck during the rollover. Among those ejected was a 13-year-old child. Law enforcement officials noted a critical safety failure at the scene, confirming that none of the occupants in the pickup truck were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.
Emergency medical personnel transported the two ejected passengers and the driver of the Chevrolet Equinox to local hospitals. While the injuries sustained by all three parties are described as serious, authorities believe they are non-life-threatening. This incident underscores a harrowing week for Western New York road safety, as local officials continue to urge motorists to adhere to traffic signals and seatbelt laws.
| Incident Detail | Case Specifics |
|---|---|
| Location | Day Road & Wheeler Road, Newfane, NY |
| Date & Time | Wednesday, 6:16 p.m. |
| Suspect | Jonpaul Oliver, 50, Franklinton, NC |
| Key Charges | DWI (Drugs), Leandra’s Law, Child Endangerment |
| Victims | Three individuals (Serious injuries) |
Driver Facing Leandra’s Law Charges
The operator of the pickup truck has been identified as 50-year-old Jonpaul Oliver of Franklinton, North Carolina. Following an on-site evaluation and subsequent investigation, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office determined that Oliver was operating his vehicle while impaired by drugs.
Oliver faces a litany of charges including driving while intoxicated by drugs and endangering the welfare of a child. Most notably, he has been charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated under Leandra’s Law, a New York State statute that classifies driving drunk or drugged with a passenger under the age of 16 as a dynamic felony.
The defendant was also issued multiple citations for vehicle and traffic law violations. While the crash remains under active investigation, Oliver is expected to be arraigned in the Town of Newfane Court. As part of our commitment to local news integrity, William Strasmore and the Lake Erie Times will continue to monitor the legal proceedings and provide updates as they become available.
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