Lorena Lopez, pregnant California mom & unborn twins killed after 25-year-old driver runs stop sign in Apple Valley, San Bernadino County as cops have yet to press charges as victim‘s family demand justice.
A California woman five months pregnant with twins was killed when a 25-year-old driver ran a stop sign and slammed into her car, cops say.
Lorena Lopez, 33, driving a Nissan Altima was on her way to a family party in San Bernadino County on June 27 with her teenage children when they were hit by the car at an intersection in Apple Valley at around 8:20pm.
The mother was killed at the scene and her unborn twins were pronounced dead, with her two children, aged 15 and 16, also rushed to hospital according to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Impact leaves 25-year-old driver & California mom’s teen kids with serious injuries
Cops said the other driver (yet to be publically identified) raced through a stop sign before their Toyota Camry careening into Lopez’s vehicle. Images from the scene showed Lopez’s car flipped onto its side from the impact.
The man was trapped inside his car as it caught fire, leading witnesses and neighbors at the scene to run over to extinguish the flames before emergency services arrived.
His condition is not known after being extricated from the vehicle and transported to a local hospital.
Lopez’s two teenage children suffered serious injuries, including severe concussions, brain swelling and broken ribs, Lopez’s stepfather Carlos Espinosa told KTLA.
Demands for driver to face justice
Espinosa said the family have been left devastated and are calling on the driver to face consequences, telling the outlet, ‘It doesn’t matter how many years they give to this person, it won’t bring her back, but we want justice.’
‘I hope he pays… And I hope he does the time,’ said Lopez’s brother, Jose, at a vigil on Wednesday according to ABC 7. ‘Even if he does 100 years, there is not enough time that will bring her back.’
A witness to the crash, named Denise, said the horrific sound of the cars colliding filled the intersection ‘like a supersonic boom.’
‘I saw this big dust cloud and the blue [Nissan Altima] car right here and I see the fire starting and I’m trying to call 911,’ she said.
Lopez’s mother Emilia Espinosa said her daughter was a beloved and devoted mother and healthcare worker.
She said Lopez was excited to welcome her twins into the world, who were expected to be a boy and a girl.
Espinosa said the family were looking forward to her baby shower, which was going to take place just weeks after the crash.
Will driver face charges?
Although Lopez’s son woke up in hospital following the crash, the family told KTLA that they have not had the heart to tell him what happened, fearing it could hamper his recovery.
Authorities have not said if speeding or driving under the influence contributed to the crash, and the tragedy remains under investigation.
In a GoFundMe set up to pay for funeral costs and Lopez’s children’s recovery, Lopez was described as a ‘loving mother whose life was cut short far too soon.’
‘The family is doing everything they can to support one another during this difficult time, but the financial burden is overwhelming,’ the fundraiser stated.
Authorities continue to investigate. Not immediately clear is what, if any, the 25-year-old driver now faced.
