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After Five-Car Pileup In Stamford, Driver Charged With DUI

STAMFORD, Conn. — After a day of drinking, a Stamford man who was driving recklessly in downtown Stamford caused two crashes, one of which involved five cars and serious injuries, police said. 

Elio Martinez

Elio Martinez

Photo Credit: Stamford Police Department
Milton Cordero

Milton Cordero

Photo Credit: Stamford Police Department

The driver involved had a blood alcohol content that was more than three times the legal limit of .08, police said. 

The incident began at about 6:05 p.m. Sunday, when Officer Jessica Bloomberg saw a 2001 Honda Odyssey minivan traveling recklessly and weaving in and out of traffic near Broad Street and Grey Rock Place. 

It was later determined that the minivan had caused an accident nearby and was fleeing, police said. 

The minivan went east on East Main Street, police said, then caused a serious five-car crash at Quintard Terrace. 

The driver and passenger both fled after that crash, police said.

Officer Rocco Cipri then gave chase and apprehended the driver on Quintard Terrace, police said. 

He was identified as Elio Martinez, 44, and "he reeked of alcohol," police said. 

The passenger, who was found under a parked vehicle, was identified as Milton Cordero, 44, police said. 

East Main Street was shut down for several hours for the Major Accident Squad to investigate the crash, which left two people with injuries, police said. 

The most seriously injured was a 53-year-old woman who was hospitalized with a fractured spine and other trauma-related injuries, police said. 

The other person was treated and released from the hospital. 

Martinez and Cordero had been driving downtown after drinking all day, police said. They first sped off after striking a vehicle near Grey Rock Place, police said. 

On East Main Street, they rear-ended a vehicle at a red light at East Main Street and North State Street, seriously injuring the woman, police said. 

That catapulted her vehicle into westbound traffic, where it was hit by another vehicle, police said. The van then rear-ended two other vehicles before coming to a stop, police said. 

Martinez was charged with operating under the influence, second-degree assault with a motor vehicle, reckless operation, evading responsibility, interfering with police, operating with no license and operating with no insurance. He was held on $100,000 bond. 

Also, officers discovered a warrant for his arrest for second-degree failure to appear on a charge of operating under the influence from September 2011 in which he did not show up to court. The bond on that warrant was an additional $2,500. 

Cordero was charged with interfering with police and held on $500 bond. 

The Major Accident Squad is investigating. Anyone with information on the accident is asked to call the Major Accident Squad at 203-977-4712. 

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