NEW YORK STATE POLICE
Major Steven James
Troop G Commander
PRESS RELEASE
February 3, 2015- Latham, NY
The New York State Police announce the arrest of Gary R. Blakley, 66, of Ontario Province, Canada, in regard to the fatal motor vehicle accident that killed Trooper David Cuniff in December of 2013.
On February 3, 2015, the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) in Fonda formally arrested Blakley on an arrest warrant issued by Montgomery County Court Judge Felix Catina.
The warrant of arrest was issued after a Montgomery County Grand Jury indicted Blakley in November of 2014 on charges stemming from the fatal motor vehicle accident in December of 2013 that claimed the life of Trooper David Cuniff. Blakley was the driver of the tractor trailer that struck Trooper Cuniff’s marked State Police car as he was conducting a traffic stop on the New York State Thruway in the Town of Amsterdam. Blakley was interviewed on the night of the accident but was not charged at that time.
The indictment charges Blakley with the following:
Aggravated Criminally Negligent Homicide (class C felony)
Aggravated Manslaughter in the 2nd degree (Class C felony)
Criminally Negligent Homicide (class E felony)
Reckless Driving (Vehicle & Traffic Law misd.)
Moved from Lane Unsafely (Vehicle & Traffic Law)
Operating Over Allowed Hours – Commercial Vehicle (Transportation Law)
Log Book Violations – Commercial Vehicle (Transportation Law)
This arrest comes after months of detailed and painstaking investigation by several State Police Units and outside agencies. Once indicted, it took several weeks of negotiations with Blakley and his attorney to secure his surrender at the US border on February 3, 2015.
Blakley was processed at the Fonda State Police station and then arraigned in Montgomery County Court before the Hon. Judge Felix Catina.
He was remanded to Montgomery County Jail with no bail. A return date will be set at a later time.
Specialty units of the New York State Police who assisted in the BCI led investigation were the Collision Reconstruction Unit and the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit.
Additional agencies who assisted in the investigation were the New York State Department of Transportation, the New York State Thruway Authority, and the National Traffic Safety Bureau and assisting in today’s surrender and arrest of Blakley were the US Customs and Border Patrol and the Ontario Providence Police Department.
