Prosecutors say a “habitual offender” led police on a chase and drove into oncoming traffic, blowing a red light and crashing into a car, leaving five injured — two seriously — in Park City.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Francis DeRosa said the incident began on July 27 when a Park City police officer responded to a call of a DUI driver near Susan Circle.
A search of the area was unsuccessful in locating the driver but minutes later the officer saw the vehicle, a black 2019 Lexus, driving recklessly through the area.
The Lexus almost sideswiped a moving vehicle at Susan Circle South and Susan Circle East.
DeRosa said the driver of the Lexus was later identified as Alexandro A. Cervantes, 30, of Park City.
The officer attempted a traffic stop on the Lexus and the vehicle drove faster through narrow streets as children played in the area.
The Lexus left the subdivision and drove at a “very high rate of speed” northbound on Teske Boulevard from Susan Circle South while disregarding a stop sign at Howard Avenue, DeRosa said.
Other vehicles were on the roadway when Cervantes drove into the oncoming lane of traffic.
The Lexus drove into the intersection at Washington Street against a steady red light and struck a white 2024 Honda CR-V, which had a green light, in the eastbound lane of Washington Street, DeRosa said.
The Lexus spun on impact and rested in the intersection with complete disabling damage. The Honda was sent across Washington Street to the north and into a ditch where its airbags deployed.
DeRosa said the Honda’s driver and her three passengers, including a child, were all injured and transported to area hospitals by ambulances.
The driver of the Honda suffered a fractured radius while her three passengers suffered minor injuries.
Cervantes was in the driver’s seat of the Lexus, which also had its airbags deployed. Three passengers were inside the Lexus and one was injured.
Cervantes and his front-seat passenger were transported to a hospital for treatment, DeRosa said.
Two of the victims transported to the hospital suffered great bodily harm.
All occupants in the Lexus were highly intoxicated and there was a large amount of open and closed alcohol containers in the vehicle.
DeRosa said Cervantes had a blood alcohol content of 0.234 — almost three times the legal limit.
Cervantes was charged earlier this month with four counts of aggravated driving under the influence causing bodily harm, five counts of aggravated fleeing to elude causing bodily injury and one count of aggravated fleeing to elude violating two or more control devices.
DeRosa called Cervantes a “habitual offender” and said the man was recently arrested on March 22 for a domestic battery incident in Lake County. He was released after his arrest but arrested again following the new case being filed.
Cervantes has a lengthy previous criminal and traffic history, which includes felony convictions for burglary and aggravated battery, DeRosa said.
A law enforcement database lists Cervantes as a street gang member with a Latin Kings affiliation.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Cervantes pending trial in the aggravated fleeing case, arguing he poses a danger to the community and is a willful flight risk.
Lake County Judge Ari Fisz granted the petition following a detention hearing on April 8.
Cervantes has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is set to appear for a pre-trial hearing on May 22.