Kaitlin McKinley Becker

Driver Facing OUI Charges After Crashing Into 7-Eleven, Hitting a Man

A man is being held on $50,000 cash bail after crashing into a store early Sunday morning.

Police say the suspect, 31-year-old Juan Taveras Mora of Lawrence, drove a Toyota Highlander through the 7-Eleven on Lowell Street around 4:10 a.m.

Surveillance video shows the SUV breaking through the glass, barrelling into the back of the store, taking a 64-year-old man with it. The SUV just missed hitting a second victim.

Mora hit a male cab driver who was inside of the store talking to another customer at the time. 

According to police, the victim, who normally goes to the 7-Eleven before starting his shift, sustained leg injuries and was transported to Lawrence General Hospital.

"Apparently the driver who drove in he was driving kind of slow and all of a sudden he picked up. He could be that he was trying to hit the brake pedal and by mistake he hit the gas pedal," said store manager Saqib Sharif. "It didn't take long for officers to get here and arrest the driver, that's because their police department is right next door."

Mora is charged with operating under the influence of liquor, operating a motor vehicle without a license, and reckless driving. He will be arraigned in court on Monday. It is not clear if Mora has an attorney.

The 7-Eleven employees spent about 16 hours cleaning up the mess from the accident. They say that the store will be back open on Monday morning.

"We can't imagine anything like that nowadays," Sharif said. "Someone driving into your store and going all the way to the end. He was looking as if it was a drive through for him."

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