Driver charged in boy’s death has history of DUI

Wednesday, May 5, 2004 | 10:18 a.m.

The man who allegedly drove into a Las Vegas bus stop Monday afternoon, killing a 4-year-old boy and leaving the child's mother hospitalized, has a history of driving drunk, according to police and court records.

Nicolas Serrano-Villagrana, 32, was convicted of a drunken driving charge in North Las Vegas in 2002, according to the records.

Serrano-Villagrana was arrested by North Las Vegas Police on Aug. 26, 2002, for loitering and DUI related to alcohol and drug charges. He pleaded not guilty to charges of loitering on Oct. 10, 2002. On Dec. 18, 2002, Serrano-Villagrana changed his plea and the loitering charge was dropped.

However, he was convicted of the DUI, spent three days in the North Las Vegas jail and paid a $400 fine. In addition, he had to attend a class for those convicted of alcohol or drug use.

The Nevada Highway Patrol also had arrested Serrano-Villagrana for allegedly driving while intoxicated in 1999, but court records indicating the outcome of that case were not available Tuesday, police said.

Serrano-Villagrana, a Las Vegas resident, is currently jailed on felony charges of drunken driving with death resulting and several related offenses in Monday's crash.

Four-year-old Angel Avendano was sitting in his mother's lap when Serrano-Villagrana's pickup truck plowed into the bus stop on Eastern Avenue at Cedar Street, near Bonanza Road, about 11:20 a.m. Monday, police said. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Angel's mother, Eulogia Avendano, 32, was in fair condition at University Medical Center on Tuesday with two broken feet and other injuries.

A second woman, Nijaila Altitijka Graves, 21, of Las Vegas had also been waiting at the bus stop. She suffered moderate injuries when the bus bench hit her, police said. Graves was treated at UMC and released.

Witnesses allegedly told police that Serrano-Villagrana tossed an 18-pack of Bud Light out of the truck after the crash.

Police said Serrano-Villagrana was treated for minor cuts at the scene and then taken to jail.

In addition to the DUI charge resulting in death, Serrano-Villagrana is also charged with two counts of felony DUI with substantial bodily harm.

Flowers in glass vases and plastic drinking cups had been placed at the scene Tuesday, along with about a dozen votive candles. A brown "Simba" sandal with a tiger face and yellow paw prints remained in the debris, a poignant reminder of the crash that took the life of a little Las Vegas boy.

Avendano has said she has no medical insurance or money to pay for a funeral, police said. An account has been set up for those who wish to make a contribution. The account at Wells Fargo Bank is in memory of Angel Samael Avendano, No. 8963740561.