Driver arrested after 1 killed, 3 injured in Riverside crash

Officers arrested a man suspected of causing a fatal crash while attempting to flee from law enforcement, Riverside police announced Monday.

Reports show that Ezekial Avendano Lopez, 62, was being investigated by Fontana detectives on Oct. 24 when he intentionally rammed into an unmarked police vehicle and drove off.

Police did not disclose what Lopez was initially under investigation for.

After losing track of Lopez following his escape, detectives said they eventually found his white Nissan Maxima involved in a multi-vehicle collision at the intersection of Riverwalk Parkway and Collett Avenue in the La Sierra neighborhood.

The Riverside Police Department said reports came in around 2:30 p.m. for the multi-vehicle collision. The number of cars involved in the crash was not provided.

Police said the 62-year-old driver sustained moderate injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. 

A 49-year-old woman in the passenger seat of his car was also hospitalized but later succumbed to her injuries. Her identity has not been released.

Three additional people from other vehicles involved in the crash suffered only minor injuries, according to the report.

After medical clearance, police said Lopez was arrested and booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center for assault with a deadly weapon against the Fontana detective.

Lopez is being held on $1 million bail, and the department said additional charges related to the cause of the fatal traffic collision are pending.

Detectives are looking to speak with any witnesses who observed Lopez driving just prior to causing the crash, urging anyone with additional information to contact Traffic Detective Jeff Derouin at 951-826-8722 or JDerouin@RiversideCA.gov.