Howard Scholl
Service Record
| Agency | Town of Tonawanda New York Police Department |
| Rank | Officer |
| Dates of Service | Ended November 2021[1] |
| Salary | $84,960 (2019)[2] |
| Last Known Status | Resigned[1] |
Incident Reports
2016 Off-Duty Fight
In 2016, Scholl was off-duty and became involved in an altercation with another man at a bar. The other man suffered a deep cut that required surgery.[3]
Department Response
Scholl was placed on paid administrative leave.[3]
Legal Action
The District Attorney's office investigated, but filed no charges due to a lack of evidence.[4]
In 2018, a lawsuit brought by the injured man was settled.[4]
2019 Arrest of Howard Scholl
Department Response
In February 2019, Scholl was suspended without pay.[5]
Legal Action
A passenger in the second vehicle filed a civil suit against Scholl over injuries received in the crash.[6]
On May 23, 2019, the Erie County District Attorney announced that Scholl and his wife had been arraigned on one count of Falsifying Business Records in the Second Degree and one count of Insurance Fraud in the Fifth Degree, both misdemeanors.[7]
In August 2019, the State Supreme Court ruled that Scholl should not have been suspended without pay, but that the town should have used the union's collective bargaining agreement. Scholl was reinstated, and was owed approximately $200,000 in back pay.[8]
On June 25, 2020, the Erie County District Attorney charged Scholl and his wife with felony counts of falsifying business records. Scholl faced an additional misdemeanor count of insurance fraud.[9]
In May 2021, the state appeals court ruled that discipline against Scholl could be determined by the town, rather than a mediator, and that Scholl was owed back pay and benefits.[10]
On November 18, 2021, Scholl resigned and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of falsifying business records.[1]
After 6 months of good behavior, all charges will be dropped against Scholl's wife.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Evan Anstey, Town of Tonawanda police officer resigns, pleads guilty after claiming his wife caused crash, WIVB, 2021-11-18
- ↑ Howard Scholl III M Tonawanda, govSalaries
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Joseph Popiolkowski, Fight with off-duty Town of Tonawanda cop sends man to ECMC, Buffalo News, 2016-08-14
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Steve Brown, Town of Tonawanda officer placed on unpaid leave after car accident, WGRZ, 2019-02-13
- ↑ Al Vaughters, Suspended Town of Tonawanda police officer ordered to be reinstated, receive back pay, WIVB, 2019-08-01
- ↑ Stephen T. Watson, Discipline records shine light on Tonawanda police response to officer's off-duty crash, Buffalo News, 2021-04-26
- ↑ Off-Duty Officer and Wife Charged After Crash, Erie County District Attorney's Office, 2019-05-23
- ↑ Judge orders suspended Town of Tonawanda officer under investigation to be reinstated, WKBW, 2019-08-01
- ↑ Off-Duty Police Officer & Wife Indicted for False Accident Report Following Crash, Erie County District Attorney's Office, 2020-06-25
- ↑ Aaron Besecker, Appeals court rules Town Board controls punishment for suspended Tonawanda police officer, Buffalo News, 2021-05-08
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