A 62-year-old man accused of killing his passenger when he attempted to flee from police and triggered a multi-vehicle collision in Riverside was charged Monday with assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer and felony evading.
Ezequiel Avendano Lopez of Riverside was arrested Thursday after the deadly crash that killed the 49-year-old woman, identified in court documents only as “K.R.”
Lopez made his initial court appearance Monday before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Gail O’Rane, who appointed him an attorney and scheduled his arraignment for Nov. 13 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
The defendant is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.
According to Riverside police Officer Ryan Railsback, shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday, plain-clothed Fontana police officers were conducting an investigation involving Lopez in the La Sierra quarter of Riverside when he allegedly drove his Nissan Maxima straight into their unmarked police unit, then fled the location.
While going through the nearby intersection of Collett Avenue and Riverwalk Parkway, the defendant caused a chain collision, Railsback alleged.
Lopez’s passenger was fatally injured in the crash, according to the police spokesman.
“Three additional people from other vehicles … suffered only minor injuries,” along with Lopez, Railsback said.
The defendant was treated at a hospital and then booked into jail.
Railsback said that in addition to the assault and evading allegations, investigators intend to request an amended complaint with other charges against Lopez.
He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision was asked to contact detectives at 951-826-8722.