Francisco Lopez, the father of Christopher Lopez, 23, who died when a boulder crashed through the windshield of the car in which he was a passenger, addresses the crowd at the CHP press conference.
By Mary O’KEEFE
Supervisor Kathryn Barger made a motion on Tuesday to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors asking for a reward of $20,000 for any information leading to the suspect or suspects who apparently threw a boulder off the Orange Grove Boulevard freeway crossover, striking and killing a 23-year-old man.
The incident occurred on the night of March 13 at about 8:55 p.m. when Guadalupe Gutierrez, 21, was driving with her family westbound on the Ventura (134) Freeway when a boulder suddenly crashed through the front passenger side window of her vehicle. Her husband, Christopher Lopez was in the front passenger seat and was struck by the boulder. Gutierrez drove immediately to Glendale Adventist Medical Center. Her husband, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
California Highway Patrol held a press conference on March 15 to ask for the public’s help with any information concerning the incident.
“Due to the circumstances, we believe that a person or persons threw the large boulder from the Orange Grove Boulevard over crossing onto the 134 Freeway below,” said Lt. Chuck Geletko. “This was an intentional act.”
He added the person or persons who threw the boulder may not have known who was in the vehicle the boulder struck.
“Any prudent person would know that a boulder that size would seriously harm someone driving on the freeway below,” he said.
Officer Chris Cassidy is leading the investigation out of the CHP Altadena Station. He said the boulder was about 12”x12”, about three inches thick and weighed 35 pounds.
The Orange Grove Boulevard over cross has sidewalks on both side of the street and each side has a tall fence that is curved inward at the top. There does not appear to be any boulders near the area. When asked if investigators thought someone had brought the large boulder to the location and had thrown it up and over the tall fencing, Cassidy said that was part of the investigation.
“We know for sure it came from the over crossing; how it came down is still under investigation,” Cassidy said.
Lopez’s family was at the March 15 press conference.
“About five months ago, [my husband and I] decided to have a second child. Two weeks ago we found out I was pregnant,” Gutierrez said fighting back tears. “And now he is gone … We are asking for your help … Whoever did this to him, he didn’t deserve this.”
Geletko said that anyone who may have seen something suspicious or saw anything pertaining to the Orange Grove Boulevard cross over and 134 Freeway on Tuesday, March 13 is asked to contact the CHP Altadena Station at (626) 296-8100.
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