Alcohol level of 0.20 found in bus stop crash

Thursday, May 13, 2004 | 10:52 a.m.

A man is charged with crashing his truck into a Las Vegas bus stop May 3, killing a 4-year-old boy and injuring his mother, had a blood-alcohol level that was 2 1/2 times the limit, according to court documents.

Deputy District Attorney Bruce Nelson filed a motion on Wednesday requesting $1 million bail for 32-year-old Nicolas Serrano-Villagrana, whom the state says had a blood-alcohol content of 0.20 percent when he crashed into the bus stop on Eastern Avenue, near U.S. 95. The standard in Nevada to prove drunken driving is 0.08.

Serrano-Villagrana is facing felony charges of drunken driving with death because the crash killed Angel Avendano and left his mother, Eulogia Avendano, 32, with two broken feet and other injuries.

Serrano-Villagrana is also charged with two counts of felony DUI with substantial bodily harm.

A second woman, Nijaila Altitijka Graves, 21, who was also waiting at the bus stop, suffered moderate injuries.

Serrano-Villagrana is scheduled to appear on May 18 before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo.

Witnesses told police they saw Serrano-Villagrana throw an 18-pack of Bud Light beer out of the truck after the fatal crash, according to police reports.

The high bail request for Serrano-Villagrana comes as a result of a previous drunken driving conviction in North Las Vegas in 2002 and a 1999 Las Vegas arrest based on the suspicion of drunken driving.

North Las Vegas Police arrested Serrano-Villagrana 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, he changed his plea and the loitering charge was dropped.

Serrano-Villagrana was convicted of the DUI, spent three days in the North Las Vegas jail and paid a $400 fine.