An Amazon driver struck and killed a 65-year-old man outside of the Buffalo Bills stadium moments before the Monday Night Football game kicked off and then fled the scene, according to authorities.
The Orchard Park Police Department and Erie County Sheriff’s Office responded around 8:19 p.m. Monday to Southwestern Boulevard near Stadium Drive outside Highmark Stadium after a pedestrian was hit by a vehicle. Cops found a man lying on the street. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital via a police escort, but he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The vehicle responsible for hitting the Rochester, New York, man did not stop, police said.
A witness took down the vehicle’s license plate number and gave officers a description of the vehicle. Investigators later found the vehicle in the city of Buffalo and arrested the driver, 32-year-old Khairullah I. Hasein, on a charge of leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death. If convicted, Hasein could face up to seven years in prison. Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn said the situation did not have to turn out as it did.
“This could change in the future obviously, but if he would have stopped, there would have been no criminal charges,” Flynn told local ABC affiliate WHAM. “There is no indication at all that there was any speeding involved, reckless driving involved, not a cellphone, no drugs, no alcohol.”
Hasein also had his 9-year-old son in the car with him at the time of the crash, Buffalo ABC affiliate WHAM reported.
Police have not identified the victim. According to local NBC affiliate reporter Lauren Hall, Hasein said at his arraignment Tuesday that he is a teacher and drives for Amazon part-time. His attorney argued that Hasein may not have realized he hit anyone since it was so dark outside the stadium. He has since been cooperative with police.
This is Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, before an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins in Orchard Park, N.Y., Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022. Khairullah Hasein allegedly ran over a 65-year-old Rochester man outside the stadium before a Monday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos on Nov. 13, 2023. (Inset: Orchard Park police; Stadium: AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Hasein is being held in jail without bail and has a hearing scheduled for Friday. He’s been suspended from driving from Amazon.
“This is a terrible incident and we’ll support law enforcement as they investigate,” Steve Kelly, Amazon spokesperson, said in a statement.
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