Paul D. Hussey, 65, will spend the next two and a third to seven years in state prison after attempting to run over members of the Northgate Church who were on a hiking trail behind their church on Bank street road in 2018.
Hussey drove off of the NYS thruway and onto Northgate Church property on August 8, 2018, and attempted to run over four people. He was originally charged with four counts of attempted assault 1st with a dangerous instrument, four counts of reckless endangerment 1st, criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, DWI, driving while ability impaired by drugs and driving while ability impaired by drugs combination.
In July of 2019 Hussey took a plea deal and pleaded guilty to to one count of attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, a class C felony, and two counts of reckless endangerment 1st, a class D felony, after attempting to run over patrons at the Northgate Free Methodist Church at 8160 Bank Street road in Batavia.
Hussey was facing 1 2/3-5 years in prison with 1-2 years of post release supervision.
On October 24, 2019, Hussey was scheduled to be sentenced, however, he did not show up in court.
A bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
He was out on $25,000 bail while awaiting sentencing.
In February 2020, Hussey was arrested at the Port of Seattle in the state of Washington. After obtaining a Governor’s Warrant, Hussey was extradited to New York on June 4, 2020 for arraignment in Genesee County Court on the charge of bail jumping 2nd.
Hussey appeared in Genesee County Court late this afternoon for oral arguments on the bail jumping charge. No motions were presented by Hussey’s attorney William Easton. The case has been placed on the trial calendar, but due to the pandemic, no trial can occur at this time. A place date of April 1, 2021 was set.
The court then proceeded to sentencing.
Three of the four victims in the incident spoke before the court , and all three say their lives will never be the same after what occurred on August 8, 2018.
One victim says she suffers from PTSD and is always looking over her shoulder, “I can’t even walk in front of a running car,” she told the court. “You have taken away my peaceful places.”
A second victim told Hussey, “You turned a night of prayer into the most terrible night ever. You chased us with that car, and that’s when I told the ladies to go around the trees. The pastor stopped and pleaded with you to stop and the second time you came so close we felt the heat of the car. My pastor said we are going to die together tonight, I told her we are not going to die tonight. So we ran to the church which was 3-4 football fields away.”
The victim went on to say the whole incident lasted about 1:37seconds, he says he never hung up with the 911 dispatcher during the ordeal, but he said it seemed like forever.
A third victim told Hussey “I know you tried to kill four people, “I am going to kill you you painted witch,” you told us.”
“I know my life will never be the same, there will be justice for this, there must be consequences for your actions.”
All the victims said they were praying for Hussey and his family and that he may someday have a life with the living.
Assistant District Attorney Kaitlynn Schmit reminded the court that Hussey lost his opportunity for a plea deal and a sentencing cap of 5 years and that the court has full sentencing ability.
A clip from a surveillance video from the church was then played during the virtual court sentencing, the video showing all four victims running from the woods, and Hussey’s vehicle abruptly turning in the victims direction.
“Its been over two years and the victims still live in fear, the defendant admitted he was under the influence of drugs. He made the decision to drive his car at the victims,” said Schmit.
Schmitt also expressed how Hussey is a flight risk. She explained to the court that how in 2019 Hussey had indicated that he was not staying in New York State in the winter and then fled to Thailand, only to be arrested on the bench warrant in Seattle upon his return.
“He is not taking responsibility for his actions, he refused treatment for substance abuse after two days. He is not a candidate for supervision.”
Hussey was then allowed to speak to the court before his attorney explained some of the mental illness, substance abuse and cognitive issues Hussey suffers from.
“I am truly sorry, no words to explain how I feel, 270 days incarcerated, I think about it all day, terrible thing that happened. I don’t know about all the obscenities. I thought the window was closed, but I was under the influence,” Hussey said.
“Its been a terrible situation, I am remorseful, I am truly disgusted with myself, but I can’t take back what I did, can only look to God in the future and hope he can make a way for me. I didn’t realize I affected the people. It is what it is, God bless you all, I’m sorry.”
William Easton went on to explain Hussey’s actions on August 8, 2018.
“No one wants to minimize the trauma that the victims endured,” said Easton.
“This was awful, it was psychotic dilutions, he thought they were painted witches on Indian land. This was a complete mental break down.”
Easton then explained how Hussey doesn’t process information as the rest of us do. Easton said because of his underlying mental health issues, he did not show up to court for sentencing. “He didn’t process the information.”
Easton asked the Judge for mercy, and recommended the sentence for Hussey to be time served and then monitored by probation.
Judge Charles Zambito disagreed.
Zambito told Hussey that despite all who have advocated for him and explained his problems in depth, along with putting together a plan for rehabilitation, it does not deal with protection for the community.
“You do have a substance abuse issue and mental health issues and by using meth you thought you were helping your mental illness. Probation said you would abscond before you got to probation and you did abscond. You have a serious drug problem, you made the choice to do drugs and you ignored the professionals to deal with the drug issue,” said Zambito.
“I have to take into account public safety. You may do this again and someone could be dead the next time. It was by the grace of God that these people were not inured.”
Zambito sentenced Hussey to two and a third to seven years in state prison on each count of of reckless endangerment 1st, a class D felony, to run concurrent.
On the charge of attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance 3rd, a class C felony, Hussey was sentenced to two years and two years of post release supervision, to run concurrently.
Orders of protection were also issued for all four victims until January 2036.
Hussey was ordered to pay restitution to one victim for the cost of a security system.