Former Niagara County legislator gets community service for tire slashing
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- A former Niagara County legislator was ordered to serve 50 hours of community service Wednesday for a tire slashing incident last October in Lockport, the Erie County District Attorney's Office announced.
Officials said 58-year-old William J. Collins, Sr. intentionally slashed the tire of a victim's pickup truck on Oct. 26 in the parking lot of a tavern on the 600 block of West Ave.
Collins, a Lockport resident, pleaded guilty to a second-degree harassment charge in connection with the incident, according to officials. A special prosecutor in Erie County handled the case after a petition by the Niagara County District Attorney's Office.
In addition to the community service, Collins received a one-year conditional discharge and was ordered by a judge to have no contact with the victim as well as pay $225 in restitution.
Collins, a Republican, was formerly the legislator for the 12th district of Niagara County but narrowly lost his re-election bid to Democrat Carla Speranza in November and yielded the seat on Jan. 1. He served as a county legislator from 2016 through 2023.