By Britney Milazzo<br><a href="mailto:britney.milazzo@lockportjournal.com">E-mail Britney</a>
CAMBRIA — Niagara County Sheriff James Voutour is getting personally involved in trying reduce the speed limit in the area where two Wilson area teens were killed in a one-car crash last week.
“We’re working with the county Highway Department,” Voutour said. “We’re at the beginning stages to set up a school zone speed limit in that area.”
The sheriff has said that speed was the “main contributing factor” in the crash that killed Eric F. Antoncich, 19, of Wilson, and his passenger, Brenden M. Christy, 17, of Ransomville.
The accident occurred on Church Road across from St. Peter’s Lutheran School. The speed limit on Church Road is 45 mph, but there is no school speed limit in that area, Voutour said.
There is a long process before a school speed zone could be established, Voutour said. “We first have to determine if there is a law for a mandatory speed limit in a school zone,” Voutour said. Then the town of Cambria has to petition the state of New York; next, the state needs to do a study and give the “yes” or “no” on reducing a speed limit.
Meanwhile, the sheriff’s department is awaiting autopsy reports on the teens before ruling out other factors as contributing to the accident, Voutour said.
“An autopsy was done at ECMC,” Voutour said. “Blood samples were sent to our lab, but it will take three to four weeks before we get all the data we need.”
Contact reporter Britney Milazzo at 439-9222, ext. 6251.
