Man who fled to Mexico after deadly hit-and-run on I-5 in Seattle pleads not guilty

the person who was involved in a tragic hit-and-run incident which claimed the lives of two of their cousins along I-5 in Seattle in February of this year has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges that are against him. 

Antonio Lopez, the accused of the incident, is facing charges that include 2 counts of motor vehicle murder as well as vehicular assault and hit-and-run. The fatal crash took place on a cold, snowy morning I-5 close to Spokane Street, with Lopez being accused of driving more than 70 mph over the treacherous road when he slammed into another vehicle.

Lopez’s actions after the crash have raised questions. Following the crash witnesses encouraged Lopez as well as his girlfriend who was also a passenger in the car, to stay on the scene. But, Lopez reportedly abandoned the Jeep Wrangler he was driving and fled. His girlfriend later was able to cooperate with law enforcement officials, telling police officers following the incident in the early morning.

Procedural proceedings in court took an unexpected change when Lopez was not in court to answer accusations of vehicular homicide as well as vehicular assault. In the investigation, it was discovered that he had been able to flee Mexico. On July 1, Lopez found himself in the hands of Mexican authorities upon returning to the country and was later detained.

The crash tragically resulted in the deaths of two cousins who were 38-year-old Terrell Aaron as well as 34-year-old Skyler Thornton. A second person, a 22-year-old from California suffered injuries during the crash.

Terrell Aaron’s brother-in-law expressed his thoughts after the events of Lopez’s disappearance. He shared his opinion that Lopez might attempt to flee the country because of the seriousness of the situation.

Lopez hasn’t had a single encounter with the law that involved fatal incidents. In 2017, at fifteen and a half, Lopez was involved in an accident that killed a driver in Issaquah which resulted in the untimely death of 21-year-old Kevin Lozoya. Lopez admitted guilt in the case and was sentenced to juvenile detention. He was also ordered to pay the restitution.

Presently, Lopez is being held for bail that exceeds $1 million. A King County judge has stated that, if bail is imposed, Lopez will be subject to electronic monitoring of his home. The legal process and circumstances surrounding the incident have attracted the attention of the public which has shed some light on the implications of reckless conduct in the roadway.