Michigan Speedster Donyell Williams Sentenced in Border Chase

Buffalo, N.Y. – In a dramatic turn of events, Donyell Williams, 27, from Michigan, has been sentenced to six months home confinement and two years’ probation for leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase from Lewiston to Dunkirk.

The chase began when Williams, driving a Jeep Commander with Ohio plates, ignored ‘stop’ signs at an immigration checkpoint on March 5, 2021. He and his co-defendant, Johnny Greer, 19, raced through traffic at speeds exceeding 95 mph before being apprehended near Dunkirk.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango detailed the harrowing pursuit, which saw Williams evade CBP officers and New York State Police with reckless abandon. The chase ended when the Jeep Commander was found abandoned on the side of the road.

Greer, who was also in the vehicle during the incident, has previously been convicted and sentenced to six months in prison.

The sentence comes after a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, and the New York State Police. Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino, Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Major Jennifer H. Gottstine led their respective agencies in this coordinated effort.