Thread: MO: Drunk driving is suspected in crash that killed woman

http://link.toolbot.com/stltoday.com/75354

Drunk driving is suspected in crash that killed woman
By Kim Bell
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
04/22/2007

Pedro Santos (left) and Nicole Elizabeth Allen

MARYLAND HEIGHTS — A suspected drunken driver was charged Saturday with involuntary manslaughter after his car plowed into the back of another vehicle, killing a young woman.

The suspect, Pedro Santos, 27, was arrested about 3 a.m. Saturday, about three hours after the crash, hiding in woods not far from the scene at Marine Avenue and Bennington Place.

Killed in the crash was Nicole Allen, 21. She was a back-seat passenger in an Acura that had slowed or just stopped at the intersection, waiting for a green light, about midnight Friday. A Lincoln Town Car slammed into the back of the Acura.

Allen died at the scene. The Acura's driver, Larry Lane, 24, suffered minor injuries. His front-seat passenger, Charles Miller, 28, had two cracked vertebrae. Both remained hospitalized Saturday at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur.

Police say that Santos' vehicle was disabled by the crash and that he ran from the scene. Authorities used a helicopter and search dogs to find him. Police say they think Santos had been the only person in the Lincoln.

Three hours after the crash, Santos appeared intoxicated, police said. Santos' blood was drawn, but results of his blood-alcohol level aren't yet available, said Maryland Heights police Sgt. Mark Pruett.

Prosecutors in St. Louis County charged Santos with involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault by driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident. Bail was set at $100,000.

Santos admitted to police that he had entered the country from Mexico illegally. His local address was in the 12300 block of Bennington Place. Police say he was a restaurant cook.

Allen lived with her mother, Denise Buchholz, and stepfather, Brian Buchholz, in the 11800 block of Gold Leaf Drive, an unincorporated pocket of St. Louis County near Maryland Heights.

Allen graduated in 2004 from Parkway North High School. She worked as a server at Red Robin restaurant and was a junior at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, studying photography, graphic design and art history.

"She was a cute, petite, fun-loving friend," said her aunt Debbie Nolen of Springfield, Mo. "She was a little angel."

The fact that Santos is an illegal immigrant was not lost on Allen's family, who gathered at the home on Gold Leaf. That further enraged them.

"He had no business being on the road anyway, but he's drunk on top of it," Nolen said.

Some of her friends plan to set up a fund for memorial contributions at Citizens Bank in Florissant, said Allen's stepfather. The money may be used for a scholarship for art students.

If we need dishwashers this badly I'll eat off paper plates

I just don't understand how an illegal can get bail set. another American dead, sad state this country is in, isn't it, May be as these come out we should print and send to our congressmen.

This girl was my best friend. I have hardly been able to function since her parents told me about this.

I can't believe this happened. We were about to graduate from college. She's the one who got me into photography.

It's going to be hard no to sit in class and wait for her to come in everyday.

This funeral is the hard thing I'm ever going to do in my life.

Why can't Bush concentrate on america Iraq. Maybe I would still have a friend that I should be seeing in class today.

BaByGal187:

I'm so sorry for you and all of Nicole's family. Please accept my condolences.
It is so tragic - she had most of her life in front of her and was studying to do the things she truly liked to do.... only to have her life taken for nothing more than riding in a vehicle at a particular place and time.

Unfortunately, stories such as Nicole's happen too often, and, in fact, we have people here that have endured situations which are strikingly similar. And we have others, that have been affected in other - but no less serious - ways as well.

Oh yes... Welcome to Alipac. It is unfortunate that we have received you under these very sad conditions, but we are glad you are here just the same.

I know our members will welcome you generously.

BaByGal187, welcome.

I'm sorry for the loss of your dear friend. It's so sad that another youngster with her entire future ahead of her has been taken from family and friends by a person who had no right to be in the US in the first place.

BaByGaL187,
Hard to find words to offer comfort to you during this sad time. Our sincere sympathy goes out to you.

BabyGal, I am so sorry for the loss of your dear friend, so many people have lost their life so unnecessarily, it just isn't right, but we must keep up this fight so they did not lose their life in vain, hopfully we will win and in the end save a few lives.
My heart felt condolences to you, Nicole's family and friends, may God walk with all of you through these hard times.

Nicole was also my best friend. It's amazing how many people over the past few days have mentioned that she was one person (sometimes the only person) that they could confide in. For me, she was a coworker, a schoolmate, a shopping buddy, someone to discuss my boyfriend with, and the person who dragged this homebody out at least once a week, even if just for lunch or a shopping trip. Nicole was an amazing and wonderful person, and she touched so many people. We hung out Friday afternoon and talked about school, work, men, what we were going to do when we "grew up"...now she will never have the chance to do all the things we talked about.

The man who killed my friend was an illegal alien. He was able to find employment at a Mexican restaurant located in the same shopping center as the grocery store where Nicole and I both used to work. I wonder how it is that he could even get a job, as I have had to provide proof of citizenship for every job I've ever had.

Some people say that his being an illegal alien is not the issue, drunk driving is. BUT if he had not managed to get into the US illegally, he would not have been on the road, and Nicole would be here today.

m2007,
So sorry for your loss but thank you for posting as it helps us to know more about your dear friend.
You are so right, if that illegal had not been here your friend Nicole would still be here.
Again, so so sorry for your loss.