Gates Police have charged a man with second degree murder in connection with the death of a woman who was pushed or fell out of a moving vehicle on Buffalo Road in Gates Monday afternoon.
Investigators say 51-year old Tracy Henton-Williams was stabbed in the chest and neck while she was a passenger in the vehicle.
She was ejected from the vehicle and witnesses came to help her but Henton-Williams was later pronounced dead at Strong Memorial Hospital.
Gates Police arrested 54-year old Roger Lee Wiggins at the Canadian border in Lewiston after a border patrol agent reportedly noticed that Gates Police had issued an alert for his vehicle.
Lt. David Sapienza says the agent noticed nervous and suspicious behavior by the driver.
“The Canadian officials had him pull over, ran that plate number, and found that was the vehicle that we were looking for."
Gates Police Chief James VanBrederode says the Rochester Police Department, the Monroe County District Attorney's Office, the Crime Analysis Center, US Customs and Immigration and the Canadian Border Services Agency were instrumental in bringing a suspect into custody within 4 and a half hours.
He says many people witnessed this event, and it takes a community to make an arrest.
"It's not just the police, it takes all the residents, and this was a team effort between law enforcement and the community.”
Wiggins is being held without bail.
Henton Williams was a teacher’s assistant at School No. 54 in Rochester. The principal there, Lessie Hamilton-Rose, says the children “adored her and she was a dedicated and talented support to the classroom teacher. Her presence will be deeply missed by me and the rest of our school family.”
The RCSD has provided a support team to help students with their grief and counselors will continue to be available to speak with students and staff individually.
Restaurant owner Phil Cammilleri witnessed the incident, saying it was one of the most traumatic things he's ever seen, and that no human being should ever be treated like that.
Gates Police domestic violence counselor, Ellen Guerdadt says domestic violence happens everywhere in every community and all walks of life.
"We're here for the family, we're here for the friends, and we're here for the witnesses. I've reached out to some of the family members as well as some of the friends. I'll be reaching out to all the Good Samaritans to offer them victims' services."
