Fatal hit-and-run, multiple crashes, carjackings lead to Hamburg man charged

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A pedestrian is dead and a man is facing a slew of charges following multiple carjackings and a series of accidents across multiple cities and towns on Monday night, according to City of Tonawanda Police.

Police received a call just after 8:15 p.m. Monday. The incident began in Hamburg where police abandoned a chase. The driver of the suspect vehicle, identified as 31-year-old Mark Whalen of Hamburg, later hit a 40-year-old male pedestrian in Tonawanda, killing him.

Shortly following, he rear-ended a car at Delaware Avenue and Broad Street in Tonawanda, carjacked that vehicle, and got into another accident in North Tonawanda. Police said Whalen then unsuccessfully tried to carjack another vehicle and was taken into custody.

Whalen is facing several charges:

• second-degree manslaughter
• third-degree grand larceny
• second-degree reckless endangerment
• third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle
• leaving the scene of a fatal accident
• seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
• multiple traffic violations

Tonawanda police captain Kevin Ulmer said Whalen was possibly involved in other accidents that are unconfirmed, including on Church Street in Buffalo. He said in the end there were up to six damaged vehicles scattered across multiple municipalities.

“When we got there the incident was over and it was more a matter of slowing it down because you don’t want to miss anything,” Ulmer said. “This magnitude in a city like this, this was a giant scene for us.”

Whalen is being held in Tonawanda pending arraignment.

“I’ve been doing this job for over 20 years now. I’ve never responded to a scene of this magnitude, so it absolutely shakes the foundation of the city,” Ulmer said. “It’s absolutely tragic.”

Anyone with information, video or witnesses are asked to contact police at (716) 692-2121 ext. 304 or ext. 0.

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