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Man Involved In Fiery Crash, Hostage Situation Indicted On Local Burglary Charge

Hiriam Rivera

A Dunkirk man involved in a fiery crash and hostage situation in June has been indicted by a Chautauqua County grand jury for a prior incident that occurred locally.

Hiriam Rivera remains in Chautauqua County Jail on $500,000 bail after an indictment for first-degree burglary was filed Oct. 15. The 43-year-old pleaded not guilty during arraignment Oct. 19, a Chautauqua County Court clerk said.

Rivera had been wanted by local authorities stemming from a burglary incident that took place in a town of Stockton residence. A warrant for his arrest was then issued.

A trooper with the New York State Police spotted Rivera around 3:20 p.m. June 8 on Route 438 near Versailles Plank Road in the town of Collins. Rivera led police on a brief pursuit when he crashed into another vehicle, displayed what appeared to be a weapon and “forcibly abducted a female passenger from his vehicle,” the Erie County District Attorney’s Office said.

Rivera held the woman against her will for about three hours in a nearby wooded area. He eventually released the woman and authorities recovered an imitation pistol at the scene.

He was arraigned virtually through Collins Town Court in Erie County on second-degree kidnapping, second-degree criminal use of a firearm, second-degree menacing and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon charges. He faces a maximum of 25 years in prison if convicted on those charges, the Erie County DA’s office said.

The indictment in Chautauqua County involves the burglary incident in the town of Stockton.

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