Hamburg man pleads guilty to fatal hit-and-run, series of crashes in Tonawanda

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Hamburg man pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to killing a pedestrian in the City of Tonawanda after a series of hit-and-run collisions in November 2024, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.

Mark Whalen, 32 and a second felony offender, pleaded guilty to the following charges:

• one count of second-degree manslaughter
• one count of leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death
• one count of third-degree grand larceny
• one count of reckless driving
• one count of third-degree unlawfully fleeing a police officer of a motor vehicle
• seven counts of leaving the scene of an incident resulting in property damage

He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on Nov. 7.

Just before 8 p.m. on Nov. 11, the Town of Evans police received calls reporting a minivan driving over the speed limit and crossing into the oncoming lane of traffic. Officials said one of the callers reported being the victim of a rear-end-hit-and-run collision caused by the vehicle.

Hamburg police then attempted to stop a minivan that matched the description given to the dispatcher. The vehicle, driven by Whalen, was traveling erratically at a high rate of speed, the attorney’s office said.

Police said Whalen unlawfully fled police by refusing to stop when officers activated lights and sirens. Their pursuit ended when Whalen then drove north onto the Skyway.

Whalen then caused six other collisions, five being with other vehicles. The collisions occurred at the intersections of Delaware Avenue and Church Street, Delaware Avenue and Summer Street, Delaware Avenue and North End Avenue in the Village of Kenmore, Sheridan Drive in the Town of Tonawanda, Delaware Street and Young Street in the City of Tonawanda, and in North Tonawanda.

He left the scene of the crashes, failed to stop at a red light, stole a victim’s pickup truck and fled, and tried to carjack another victim.

During the series of collisions, at 8:15 p.m., Whalen hit a pedestrian, who was crossing Delaware Street near Benton Street in the City of Tonawanda, while driving the minivan. The victim, identified as Terrence Wyatt, died from the injuries.

Officials said Whalen recklessly caused Wyatt’s death and drove away from the scene without calling police.

Whalen remains held without bail.