Eli Lopez Charged With Murder, Other Counts In Pursuit Crash That Killed Rolando Pinto
POMONA (CBSLA) — A driver who allegedly fled from police during a traffic stop in Pomona and crashed into another vehicle, killing the driver, was charged Friday with murder and other counts.
Eli Richard Machado Lopez, 22, of Pomona, is set to be arraigned March 18 on one count each of second-degree murder, evading causing death, hit-and-run causing serious bodily injury and unlawful taking of a vehicle.
Rolando Pinto-Mendez, 26, died just two minutes away from his home Wednesday afternoon when Lopez, the suspect of a police chase, violently crashed into his car at the intersection of San Antonio Avenue and Philadelphia Street in Pomona.
An officer attempted to pull over the suspect for a vehicle code violation at San Antonio Avenue and Ninth Street, and the driver failed to stop, according to Aly Mejia of the Pomona Police Department.
Police said it was only later that they learned the car was stolen.
The officer pursued the driver briefly with the patrol car's police lights on before the suspect crashed into the other vehicle, Mejia said.
Lopez, who ran from the scene after the crash, was caught hiding in a nearby backyard around 4:45 p.m. and remains behind bars.
On Thursday evening, dozens of people holding candles converged on the site of the violent crash to pay their respects and pray.
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses.
