St. Louis- Illegal driving wrecklessly

Driver in restaurant crash caused earlier accident, records show By Patrick M. O'Connell ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH Thursday, Sep. 20 2007 Clayton — The illegal immigrant whose SUV ran into diners outside a Clayton eatery this week had been involved in a crash in St. Louis less than two months ago.City police records indicate that the driver, Sergio Lopez, 23, caused a collision July 26 on South Kingshighway near Southwest Avenue while driving the same SUV.Eleanor Sanford, 80, said Wednesday that an SUV had turned in front of her from a gas station parking lot, hitting her car and sending it spinning. She was shaken but not seriously hurt.The driver sped off, Sanford said, and police tracked him through a license plate that fell off. "He just hit us and took off," she said.She said she did not connect her wreck with Tuesday's high-profile Clayton incident until reporters called her about it Wednesday."I don't see how this man was allowed to drive," Sanford said. Lopez was cited in her case for driving with no driver's license, improper license plates, no insurance and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle.The report does not indicate any police awareness that Lopez was in the United States improperly.On Tuesday, Lopez told Clayton police he was temporarily blinded by a bright light as he attempted to make a left turn from westbound Maryland Avenue onto southbound Central Avenue. Officials said he did not explain whether it was a sun reflection or something else.His Ford Expedition crashed into the sunken eating area of Il Vicino, pinning two people beneath it and injuring a third. Ann Stockton, 62, and James Travaglini, 63, were treated at a hospital and released. Travaglini's wife, Kathryn Travaglini, 54, remained hospitalized Tuesday afternoon with broken ribs and an injured foot, said her father, Jim Lansmon.Clayton Police Chief Thomas Byrne said Lopez had been trying to find a job in Clayton and did not appear to have been under the influence of alcohol or speeding. Clayton officers cited Lopez for driving with no license and no proof of insurance and for making an improper turn.Lopez, who officials said is from Mexico, is being held at the St. Louis County Justice Center in Clayton on a federal detainer issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He lives in an apartment near Tower Grove Park in St. Louis. No one answered the door or phone there Wednesday. Lopez owns the SUV, Byrne said. It is registered in Illinois. Officials said Lopez had a post office box in Collinsville, but there was no explanation why.