Buffalo, NY – Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard reports the sheriff’s office apprehended a subject with a loaded semi-automatic handgun after he and an operator of a vehicle tried to elude a Sheriff’s Deputy on Ontario Street in the City of Buffalo, just after 7 a.m. on August 11.

Deputy Naegely was in the process of serving a summons in the Black Rock/Riverside area of Buffalo when he observed a person of interest in an unrelated case driving a vehicle.  When the Deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, the operator accelerated to a high rate of speed to avoid the Deputy.  While fleeing law enforcement, the operator crashed into two parked vehicles on Royal Avenue.  The driver and the passenger both exited the vehicle and began to run from the Deputy however the passenger, Antonio Eckert, was captured. 

Buffalo Police was called and assisted in setting up a perimeter while additional Deputies and a Sheriff’s K-9 Unit responded the scene and searched the surrounding areas with negative results.

While searching the vehicle, Deputy Naegely discovered a loaded .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun lying in plain view and after the discovery, Antonio Eckert, 20 of Buffalo, was charged with criminal possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Eckert remains in custody at the Erie County Holding Center in lieu of $50,000.00 bail.