Central NY woman killed in crash after fleeing a traffic stop

Verona, N.Y. - One woman was killed and a man was seriously injured this week when their car crashed after the driver fled traffic stop, deputies said.

The driver, Brandy LaFlesh, 46, who lives in the city of Oneida, was killed when her vehicle crashed at about 9:52 p.m. Tuesday on Blackmans Corners Road in Verona, according to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office.

At approximately 9:18 p.m. Tuesday, a deputy stopped LaFlesh’s Lexus SUV on Rt. 365 in Verona as part of a traffic stop, said sheriff’s office Lt. CJ Paravati.

As the deputy was completing the stop, it was discovered that LaFlesh was possibly wanted in Oneida City Court, deputies said in a news release. She fled in her vehicle partway through the stop, Paravati said.

Paravati confirmed there was a warrant for LaFlesh, but did not say what the warrant was for.

Deputies did not pursue her because the sheriff’s office has a no pursuit policy unless “exigent circumstances are present,” Paravati said.

The department’s policy manual says deputies do not pursue vehicles for traffic violations.

At approximately 9:52 p.m., the Oneida County 911 Center reported an accident on Blackmans Corners Road in Verona, deputies said. The vehicle was LaFlesh’s SUV.

LaFlesh was driving northwest on the two-lane road when she lost control and the vehicle hit a tree, deputies said.

She was pronounced dead at the scene, deputies said.

The passenger, Michael Martino, 56, of Lee, was ejected from the vehicle and sustained serious injuries, deputies said. He was transported to Wynn Hospital. He is still in the hospital, as of Friday, Paravati said.

The investigation into the crash and traffic stop is ongoing, Paravati said.

Because LaFlesh was involved in a traffic stop prior to the fatal crash, the state Attorney General’s Office was also on scene. Since April 2021, state law requires the AG’s office to take over investigations of all fatal incidents involving police officers.