By Debadrita Sur
The Buffalo News, N.Y.
WHEATFIELD, N.Y. — A Cambria man involved in a head-on collision with a Niagara County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle — which he is accused of then setting on fire — was discharged from the hospital Sunday morning and taken for arraignment.
Schuyler P. Johnson, 52, was released Sunday morning from medical care at Erie County Medical Center where he was admitted for a mental health evaluation, as well as treatment for a minor head injury he sustained allegedly from the second vehicle crash he was involved in, Sheriff Michael J. Filicetti told The Buffalo News.
Johnson was involved in two car crashes early Saturday morning in Wheatfield. At about 5 a.m., Johnson drove his pickup truck into the path of the patrol car on Mapleton Road, causing the collision, deputies said. Cody Sikora, the deputy involved in the collision, took cover at the rear of his vehicle and tried to engage with Johnson.
However, Johnson allegedly came back to the patrol vehicle with a gas can he retrieved from his truck, poured gasoline on the patrol vehicle and set it on fire. Sikora, who was not injured in the collision, was able to put out the blaze with a fire extinguisher, The Buffalo News reported on Saturday.
Johnson then allegedly fled the scene, going north on Shawnee Road where he was involved in a second crash, after which his overturned vehicle was located by Capt. Matthew Grainge, the Sheriff’s Office said. Johnson threatened Grainge with a knife and then a screwdriver, deputies said.
Grainge initially deployed his Taser on Johnson and, when that failed to stop him, used pepper spray, which caused Johnson to surrender. He was then taken to ECMC.
Johnson was charged with multiple felonies including reckless driving and other traffic violations, third degree arson, menacing a police officer with a weapon and criminal mischief.
He was arraigned Sunday morning with a $100,000 bail placed on him by the arraigning judge. He will have to appear for a preliminary hearing at the Wheatfield Court, Filicetti said. Johnson will be in the Niagara County Correctional Facility awaiting the pending proceedings, the sheriff added.
Johnson has had prior run-ins with authorities before, including a pending case regarding the assault of a New York State Police trooper, officials said.
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