Drunk driver who hit officer sentenced

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - It was an emotional and intense scene, filled with surprises, inside Judge Penny Wolfgang’s State Supreme Courtroom.

Family members wiped away tears as victims’ impact statements were read.

One of the victims Buffalo Police Office Gary Sengbusch, who was off duty at the time of the crash, sat next to his fiancee, fixated on the defendant 24-year-old Anthony Thompson.

Thompson admitted to driving drunk, speeding and running through stop signs and red lights last Feburary.

His car crashed into Sengbusch’s car, it was all caught on camera.

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Thompson’s passenger, and long-time friend, 20-year-old Honey Ransom died. Sengbusch sustained life long physical and emotional injuries.

Something else unexpected happened inside the courtroom Thursday morning. Tensions boiled over when Thompson’s attorney suggested that Sengbusch might have been intoxicated at the time of the accident.

Defense Attorney Emily Trott said, “It was a glaring omission to me that no blood test was done on the other driver of the car, which has been standards protocol for years. I had to dig up and ascertain where the blood was actually kept because it wasn’t ordered by the police department.”

“We can’t fully say that justice has been served, because a lot of information is missing,” said Wil Green, a family member of Thompson. “We fully believe that there is more to the story.”

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Finnerty said, “That’s an outrageous accusation by her to make, I have no idea why she decided to make that accusation. It struck everyone, including the court, as rather odd since there was no evidence whatsoever that Office Gary Sengbusch was intoxicated, none.”

Thompson didn’t get the maximum of 25 years in jail, but he could spend up to 15 years behind bars. His attorney hopes he can get out in seven years.