Rising sophomore and engineering student Maria Eichas died on Burritt Road in Parma, NY, on June 2 at approximately 1 a.m., when 33-year-old Alexander Hackett crashed a Toyota Camry into the rear of Eichas’ Honda CRV. Both vehicles were traveling westbound.
Eichas was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger inside Eichas’ vehicle was hospitalized with non-fatal injuries and is expected to recover.
Hackett allegedly admitted to investigators that he consumed approximately four beers prior to driving and that he was not aware that he was on Burritt Road at the time of the incident.
Charged with second-degree vehicular manslaughter, Hackett was arraigned in Parma Town Court and is in custody at Monroe County Jail with a bail of $40,000. His preliminary hearing, scheduled last Thursday, was waived with his case intended to be presented to a Monroe County grand jury.
If convicted to the highest degree, Hackett faces a maximum of seven years in prison. The investigation is still ongoing.
In a statement to The Spectrum, UB Vice President for Student Life Brian Hamluk said that the university extends their “sincere and heartfelt condolences to Maria’s family, friends and fellow students” and that they have “reached out to Maria’s family to provide whatever support we can during this very difficult time.”
Eichas’ friends, including her bandmates at Moxxie, took to social media to express their grief over Eichas’ death.
“We are extremely devastated by the passing of our dear friend and fellow band-mate, Maria Eichas. She was incredibly talented, and had such a bright future ahead of her,” an Instagram post from Moxxie reads. “Please be responsible. Drive safe and sober. You don’t know who you could hurt until it is too late. This was never a post any of us thought we would have to make. She will be greatly missed and never forgotten.”
Donations to a GoFundMe fundraiser will assist with funeral expenses and other costs.
Grief counselors are available at UB’s Counseling Services, which can be contacted at 716-645-2720. If you are in a crisis situation, contact Crisis Services of Western New York’s 24/7 hotline at 716-834-3131. Students can also text the Crisis Text Line by sending “GOT5” to 741-741.
Mylien Lai is the senior news editor and can be reached at mylien.lai@ubspectrum.com
Mylien Lai is the senior news editor at The Spectrum. Outside of getting lost in Buffalo, she enjoys practicing the piano and being a bean plant mom. She can be found at @my_my_my_myliennnn on Instagram.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
Photo: Courtesy of Tracey Drury
