Police say Aurora woman caused several crashes on Thanksgiving
An Aurora woman with a history of making poor choices behind the wheel of an automobile, is again in trouble with the law.
Dimona Pendleton, 33, of the 1600 block of Feltin Road, faces charges of possession of cannabis, driving under the influence of alcohol and a series of traffic offenses after a Thanksgiving afternoon escapade in which she is accused of using her 2000 Ford Taurus as a bumper car on the streets of Naperville, authorities said Wednesday.
According to Naperville police Cmdr. Jason Arres, officers were first dispatched to the intersection of North Aurora Road and Fairway Drive at 1:24 p.m. on Nov. 25 for a hit-and-run accident with minor injuries to the occupant of a 2011 Nissan Sentra. When police arrived, Pendleton was gone, allegedly having continued north on Fairway and striking a parked 2011 white Toyota Yaris at Fairway and Augusta, a light pole at Fairway and Prestwick and a red 2010 Chevy Cobalt and cement streetlight post at Fairway Drive and Mulligan.
Pendleton was taken by ambulance to Edward Hospital following the final crash. Arres said while at Edward, police found less than 10 grams of cannabis in her purse.
Pendleton was released after posting $3,000 bail in the case. In addition to the DUI and cannabis charges, she was also ticketed for disobeying a traffic control device, leaving the scene of an accident, driving an uninsured motor vehicle and driving with a revoked license.
According to DuPage County court records, Pendleton has previous DUI and obstructing a peace office convictions as well.
In 2005, Pendleton pleaded guilty to attempted resisting of a peace officer after she drove away from a traffic stop in which an Aurora police officer was attempting to ticket her for driving with a suspended license and having no insurance. She completed 100 hours of community service in that case.
In 2009, Pendleton was convicted of DUI following a Naperville stop in which she was also charged with endangering the life of a minor because she had two children, ages 2 and 4, in the vehicle she was driving. She was sentenced to two years of conditional discharge and ordered to perform community service at an organization benefiting children, attend court-ordered counseling and participate in a victim-impact panel.
In 2010 she was ticketed for driving with a revoked license at the time of a traffic accident and served 30 days in DuPage County jail.
Pendleton is next due in court on Jan. 5.