We would like to offer the following correction and clarification on a previous story we had reported on Finger Lakes Daily News regarding an accident that occurred last September in Yates County. We apologize for the earlier error.
On January 7th, Sarah Olsen, of Penn Yan, pleaded guilty to one count of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death, a Class D Felony, in Yates County Court before the Hon. Mackenzie Stutzman. The charge arose from a motor vehicle accident that occurred on RT 364 in the Town of Benton when Olsen was driving her GMC Acadia and hit a 15-month-old boy on September 19, 2024. The crime was investigated by the Yates County Sheriff’s Office, who were able to identify Olsen as the suspect and arrest her on the following day.
The defendant will be sentenced on April 1st, 2025.
“This case is a tragedy and highlights how important it is that drivers give their undivided attention to the road to avoid such tragedies,” said District Attorney Todd Casella, who prosecuted the case. “Had the defendant stopped after the crash she likely would not have faced any charges. If a driver is involved in an accident or a crash the worst thing they can do is leave the scene. Thanks to the efforts of the YCSO, the defendant was identified and charged, otherwise, the family would have never known who had caused the death of their child.”
