Drunk Driver Crashes Into Building In Riverside: Cops

RIVERSIDE, IL — A drunk driver from Lyons crashed into a Verizon communications building at 2:38 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 30, Riverside Police said. Police found the vehicle off the roadway and up against the building at First and Ridgewood Road. Mariela Sosa, 25, was charged with DUI, improper operation of a vehicle, driving on sidewalk, and transportation of open alcohol.

Police said when they arrived on scene Sosa had visible injuries and smelled of alcohol. Paramedics were called and the fire department checked the structure of the building and electrical lines feeding into the building.

According to police, Sosa was traveling southbound on First Avenue when she lost control of her car due to her high rate of speed. Her car jumped the curb, left the road and hit the Verizon building, spinning the car around and forcing it to land in a grassy area at Riverside Brookfield High School.

Police said the officer attempted to give medical aid to Sosa, who was highly intoxicated and combative with the officer. She was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood for non-life threatening injuries.

She was released into police custody after being treated, and police said they learned Sosa had been out drinking and partying all night prior to the accident and both she and her passenger were highly intoxicated. The passenger was not injured and refused medical treatment. Police also recovered numerous beer cans from inside the car, and they were open and still cold.

Police said Sosa refused to participate in field sobriety testing, the breathalyzer, or have her blood and urine drawn at the hospital.

“I have several officers working every day this holiday season on the Illinois Department of Transportation DUI grant," Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said in a release. "This, however, doesn't seem to stop people from driving drunk or driving under the influence of drugs. Every single night officers make DUI arrests and we continue to have DUI crashes. These drunk-driving accidents and injuries will continue unless society's views change on impaired driving."

Photos provided by Riverside Police Department.