Clifton Reynolds was arrested Friday afternoon after being released from University Hospital.
View full sizeOnondaga County Sheriff Kevin Walsh looks at the Nissan Pathfinder that crashed in the Pier 57 Restaurant in Liverpool on Wednesday afternoon.
The driver who caused two spectacular crashes on consecutive days was arrested six months ago for driving under the influence of methamphetamine.
Clifton Reynolds of Gaskin Road, Clay.Clifton R. Reynolds, 35, of 8406 Gaskin Road, Clay, pleaded guilty April 29 to driving while ability-impaired by drugs. He was fined $500 and had his driver's license suspended.
On Wednesday, Reynolds rear-ended a car at a high speed, then rolled 100 yards into the front of the Pier 57 restaurant, deputies said. On Thursday night, he drove left of center into the path of a driver who was seriously hurt, deputies said.
On Nov. 13 of last year, Oswego city police pulled Reynolds over in his car at 5:40 p.m. and found a bag of methamphetamine, according to a police report. He was on his way to the SUNY Oswego area to pick up his paycheck, he said in the report.
He was charged with felony drug possession, driving while ability-impaired by drugs, unlawful possession of marijuana and driving without a seat belt.
The DWAI charge was a felony because he'd had a previous DWI conviction in less than 10 years. He was convicted in 2001 of DWI, according to police records.
A spokesman said Reynolds did not work for or attend SUNY Oswego but may have had a job with a contractor there.
In Thursday's crash, Reynolds was speeding when he tried to pass a car on River Road in Lysander -- crossing a double-solid line in a curve, Sheriff Kevin Walsh said this morning. He collided head-on with a car driven by Richard Zimmerman, 23 of 8744 Cramer Road, Lysander.
A check for skid marks shows Zimmerman jammed on his brakes, but Reynolds never hit his, Walsh said.
Reynolds was arrested by deputies this afternoon when he was released from Upstate University Hospital. Reynolds was arraigned in Clay Town Court and Judge Christopher Gaiser sent Reynolds to the Justice Center in lieu of $35,000cash/$60,000 bond for the Clay charges and $15,000 cash / $30,000 bond on the Lysander charges.