Buffalo, NY (Sept. 25, 2026) – Eight people were hurt, three of them seriously, when a car struck a crowd of pedestrians at American Harley-Davidson’s End of Season Bike and Car Show in North Tonawanda on Friday evening.
According to the North Tonawanda Fire Department, the crash happened around 8 p.m. on Erie Avenue when one of the vehicles at the event struck several attendees, pinning some against the building. Seven people were taken to area hospitals; as of Saturday, three had been released, and four remained admitted with fractures and other injuries described as serious but not life-threatening.
North Tonawanda Police arrested the driver, 73-year-old Charles Brancato of Tonawanda, and charged him with driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.
A witness described the car’s tires squealing before it accelerated into the crowd and the side of the building, narrowly missing him and his wife. Car shows, and similar events draw large crowds into close proximity to running vehicles, which is part of why a single moment of impaired or reckless driving can injure so many people at once.
DWI Accident Claims With Multiple Victims
A DWI arrest does not change how insurance works for the people who were hurt. Driving while intoxicated is treated as negligence, not an intentional act, for civil claim purposes, which means Brancato’s auto insurance is still expected to respond to claims from everyone he injured, the same as it would in any other crash he caused.
With eight people hurt, though, a single insurance policy may not have enough coverage to fully compensate everyone. Policies carry per-accident limits, and when multiple serious claims come from one crash, those limits can run out before every injured person is made whole. An attorney who moves quickly and understands how to pursue every available source of coverage, including the event organizer’s or venue’s own liability insurance if it turns out safety measures at the show played any role, can make a real difference in how much of your medical bills and lost income actually get covered.
If you were one of the eight people hurt at this event, New York law allows you to pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering, regardless of how many other people were also injured in the same crash.
Contact Our Buffalo-Area Injury Attorneys
Stanley Law Offices has an office in Buffalo and represents injured people throughout Niagara County and the rest of Western New York, including cases with multiple injured parties from a single incident like this one. Our personal injury attorneys in Buffalo know how to move quickly when insurance coverage may be limited, and several people are competing for the same funds.
If you or someone you love was one of the eight people hurt at this event, call 888-997-3889 for a free consultation. We are available 24/7 for you.
