Crime & Public Safety.
The defendant, 22, faces two preliminary hearings in August on the two separate incidents.
A Lansdale man awaiting a preliminary hearing on charges of misdemeanor DUI, reckless driving, failure to stop and render aid, and accidents to unattended vehicles stemming from a Lansdale Borough crash in May has been accused of similar offenses by Hatfield Police for a hit-and-run DUI in April.
Kevin Lopez, 22, of the 40 block of North Richardson Avenue, was charged July 8 via summons with misdemeanor charges of DUI, accidents involving death or personal injury, and accidents involving damage to an attended vehicle, as well as summary offenses of failing to stop and give information or render aid, failure to notify police of an accident, failure to stop at a red light, and public drunkenness, according to court records, for an April 18, 2024 crash.
At 9:04 p.m. April 18, police responded to Bethlehem Pike and North Broad Street in Colmar for a report of a hit-and-run crash, according to the criminal complaint. The victim told police his Nissan Altima was hit by a white vehicle; the victim was taken to Grand View Hospital by VMSC Emergency Medical Services for head, chest and knee injuries, police said.
Witnesses told police they were stopped at a red light directly behind the victim’s vehicle, northbound on Bethlehem Pike at the intersection, per the complaint. When the light turned green, the Nissan began going through the intersection, when suddenly a white and tan Ford F-150 pickup truck, eastbound on North Broad Street, ran the red light and hit the front of the Nissan, police said.
The truck failed to stop at the scene and continued east on North Broad Street, according to the affidavit. The witness followed the Ford truck on North Broad Street until it turned on Arbor Circle and parked, police said. Then, police allege, the witness saw a Hispanic or white male wearing dark pants and a light-colored sweatshirt exit the truck and walk away.
Police located the Ford truck parked and unoccupied on the 100 block of Arbor Circle; a registration check came back to Lopez, police said.
The Ford sustained moderate damage to its passenger side mirror and rear tire, consistent with the crash, police said.
While investigating the truck, police said a resident of the neighborhood named Marcos Lopez arrived and walked up to the vehicle. Police talked to Lopez, who told them the truck belonged to his nephew, Kevin Lopez, police allege. The uncle told police Lopez called him and told him he had a flat tire and needed to meet him where the truck was parked, police said.
While talking with the uncle, police said Kevin Lopez approached them and claimed ownership of the truck, yet denied driving it or being involved in a crash.
Lopez could not tell police how the truck got on Arbor Circle if he lived on North Richardson in Lansdale, per the affidavit. Lopez continued to deny driving it, police said.
Lopez had dilated pupils, a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, and was unsteady on his feet, authorities allege. He then became belligerent and loud while attempted to be interviewed by police, and was subsequently arrested for public drunkenness, police said.
Police found the Ford’s ignition key in Lopez’s pocket, according to the complaint.
A preliminary hearing in the April Hatfield incident is scheduled for Aug. 13 at 9:45 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Andrea Duffy.
Then, Lopez is scheduled to go before Magisterial District Judge Edward Levine Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. for a preliminary hearing on the May incident in Lansdale Borough.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
