Driver Indictment for Causing Crash That Killed Two Victims and Injured Two Victims Inside of Another Vehicle

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that 23-year-old Devin M. Ford of Buffalo was arraigned last week before State Supreme Court Justice Paul B. Wojtaszek on an indictment charging him with the following offenses:

• Two counts of Murder in the Second Degree (Class "A-I" felonies)
• Two counts of Manslaughter in the Second Degree (Class "C" felonies)
• One count of Assault in the First Degree (Class "B" violent felony)
• One count of Assault in the Second Degree (Class "D" violent felony)
• One count of Assault in the Third Degree (Class "A" misdemeanor)

It is alleged that on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at approximately 12:15 a.m., the defendant was driving a vehicle at a high-rate of speed northbound on Main Street in the City of Buffalo when he caused a collision with another vehicle at the intersection of Humboldt Parkway. The defendant was allegedly operating the vehicle without activated headlights at the time of the crash. The defendant, who was the sole occupant of his vehicle, was taken into custody as he attempted to climb out of the vehicle through the front passenger door. He was transported to ECMC for evaluation. The four occupants of the other vehicle were taken by ambulance to ECMC.

The defendant is accused of recklessly engaging in conduct that created a grave risk of death to another person under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life, which resulted in the deaths of the driver and a passenger of the other vehicle. The driver, 27-year-old Nasir Musazada of Buffalo, was working as a rideshare operator at the time of the crash. He was pronounced deceased at the hospital. His rear driver-side passenger, 26-year-old Morgan Ehrenbeit of Ohio, also died at the hospital.

The defendant is also accused of recklessly engaging in conduct that created a grave risk of death to another person and thereby caused serious physical injuries to another rear seat passenger. The victim, a 31-year-old male from Ohio, was hospitalized with serious physical injuries. The front seat passenger, another 31-year-old male from Ohio, was treated for injuries to his spine and ribs then released from the hospital.

Ford is scheduled to return on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. for a pre-trial conference. He remains held without bail. A temporary order of protection issued on behalf of the surviving victims remains in effect.

If convicted of the highest charges, Ford faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in prison.

Acting DA Keane commends Lieutenant Mark Goodspeed, Officer Adam Brennan, Officer Ryan Weir and members of the Buffalo Police Department Accident Investigation Unit for their work in this investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christine O. Murray of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.