Fatal Wayne crash leads to criminal charges against driver
Sheriff's deputies charge Canisteo man ran stop sign on county Route 96
THE LEADER STAFF

WAYNE - A Canisteo man was arrested Dec. 28 and charged for his role in a car accident that claimed the life of a Hornell woman in early November.

Robert G. Buono, 68, of Taylor Street in Canisteo, was arrested by the Steuben County Sheriff's Department and charged with criminally negligent homicide, third-degree vehicular assault, and several vehicle and traffic infractions.

Buono was the driver in a one-vehicle accident Nov. 3 in the town of Wayne that killed Donna M. Irizarry, 47, of Hornell.

According to police, Buono ran a stop sign at the intersection of County Route 96 and County Route 87 shortly before 11 p.m. His car continued through the intersection, went off the road, and struck a tree.

Irizarry, a passenger in Buono's car, was pronounced dead at Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital in Bath shortly after the accident.

Another passenger in the car, Shelly Davis, 33, of Hornell, was injured in the crash and hospitalized for several days at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira.

The vehicular assault charge is related to Davis' injuries. Buono, who was also injured in the crash, was airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, where he remained hospitalized until Dec. 16.

Buono was arraigned Thursday in Wayne Town Court and released on his own recognizance by Wayne Town Justice Sandra K. Orr. Buono uses supplemental oxygen and is not considered a flight risk, Orr said, although she ordered Buono not to leave New York state.

Orr also issued an order of protection for Davis because Davis is considered a potential witness for the prosecution.

Buono was also charged with failure to stop at a stop sign, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, having switched license plates, having no insurance, and not wearing a seat belt.

Buono is scheduled to appear in Wayne Town Court on Jan. 25 to answer the charges.

The Steuben County Sheriff's Department was assisted by the Steuben County District Attorney's Office during the investigation.