A Lancaster man admitted Tuesday to causing a vehicle crash in January that ended the life of his passenger.
Erick Lopez pleaded guilty in Lancaster County Court to felony vehicular homicide, misdemeanor reckless endangerment and summary violations, regarding the Jan. 3 crash in the 200 block of South Queen Street.
Lopez, 23, was driving more than 100 mph, in a posted 25 mph zone, before crashing his Acura into a utility pole, Lancaster city police determined.
(See Twitter feed for photo.)
David Castro-Valdez, 23, died from injuries sustained in the collision.
Neither man was wearing a seat belt, police determined.
Police also found that Lopez’s car passed numerous other vehicles on two-way Chesapeake Street, while traveling at a high rate of speed, before turning onto Queen Street.
Lancaster County Judge Margaret Miller accepted the guilty plea and will order sentence in a couple months, following a background check.
There is no mandatory minimum sentence in vehicular homicide cases.
Assistant District Attorney Maria Cusick is prosecuting the case.
City police Officer Steve Reich filed charges.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us