Driver spent an hour in liquor store parking lot drinking

Yulia Raynova, 45-year-old of Madison, N.J., spent more than an hour drinking Cognac in a liquor store parking lot before causing a three-vehicle crash that killed a Chatham Township man last month, authorities said. Surveillance video shows Raynova bought a bottle of Cognac at Bottle King on West Mount Pleasant Avenue in Livingston at 9:42 a.m., the criminal complaint states. Raynova then returned to her car and didn’t exit the parking lot at the liquor store until about 11 a.m.

Raynova was traveling 53 mph in a 35 mph zone and went through a red light at the intersection, according to the affidavit of probable cause provided to NJ Advance Media on Friday morning.

She was driving erratically when she left, driving over a concrete divider and on the wrong side of the road in addition to failing to maintain her lane, the affidavit said, citing surveillance video. A witness also told investigators that he saw Raynova drive over curb and weaving just prior the crash, which took place at 11:30 a.m. about six miles from the liquor store.

Police found the bottle of Cognac about one-third empty and a receipt from the liquor store after the crash, in addition to pill bottles containing unmarked pills, according to the affidavit.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/04/driver-charged-in-fatal-crash-spent-an-hour-in-liquor-store-parking-lot-drinking-authorities-say.html