Woman accused of drunk driving in Sunday’s fatal wreck was awaiting trial on a previous DUI charge

The crash that killed a man on Interstate 526 on Sunday was caused by a woman who was driving while intoxicated while she was out on bail awaiting trial on a previous DUI charge, according to North Charleston police and court records.

Lisa Pistolis, 25, of Gemstone Boulevard, Hanahan, was driving eastbound about 4:30 p.m. Sunday on I-526 when the car she was driving drifted off the roadway into the grassy median in the center, North Charleston police spokesman Spencer Pryor said.

Pistolis tried to get back on the road but hit a sport utiltity vehicle and both cars spun out of control, Pryor said in an email. The SUV also flipped several times in the wreck, which occurred near I-526 and Dorchester Road. Pistolis was charged with felony DUI involving death and felony DUI with great bodily injuries.

At the time of her arrest, she was awaiting a jury trial for a February 2012 charge of first-offense DUI, according to court records.

The driver of the SUV, Serjei Cahuantzi, 35, of Charleston, died at the scene, according to Charleston County Deputy Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal. Police said Cahuantzi was ejected during the crash.

Police found Cahuantzi lying on the ground in front of a car. The passenger of that car was taken to Medical University Hospital.

Two other people involved in the crash in another car were not seriously injured, according to spokesman Spencer Pryor.

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