Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III announced that 18 year old Ryan Alvarez of Orchard Park pleaded guilty this afternoon before County Court Judge Michael Pietruszka to Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree and Driving While Intoxicated, as charged.  These are the highest charges for which Alvarez could have been convicted had he gone to trial. 

Alvarez admitted that on March 25, 2012 on Clarksburg Road in North Collins, while driving intoxicated, he crashed his vehicle into a parked tractor trailer which erupted into flames, and caused serious physical injury to his 17 year old passenger, Lauren Evola of Orchard Park. 

Alvarez faces a maximum prison sentence of 1-1/3 to 4 years in prison when he is sentenced before the Hon. Michael Pietruszka on October 2, 2012 at 9:30 a.m.