A motorist 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, of Pomona died at the scene of the crash that occurred around 4 p.m. Wednesday near San Antonio Avenue and Philadelphia Street.
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.
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 was subsequently located and taken into custody about 4:45 p.m. and remains behind bars.