Docs: Woman arrested in fatal hit-and-run thought she hit ‘pothole’
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A woman who is facing charges in a fatal hit-and-run crash allegedly told police that she thought she hit a “pothole” and that’s why she didn’t stop at the scene, according to court documents obtained by KTSM.
Leslie Lopez, 25, is facing a charge of collision involving death after she allegedly hit and killed 21-year-old Kimberly Alissa Espinoza, who was crossing the street along the 1500 block of Lee Trevino at about 3 a.m. on Sunday morning, May 19.
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The suspect also allegedly had a witness follow her and fire his gun at her or her car when she didn’t stop or acknowledge that she would return to the scene, according to court documents.
According to court documents, a witness saw Espinoza run across the street from a parking lot after what appeared to be an argument. At the same time, a vehicle driven by Lopez struck and hit Espinoza, according to court documents.
Espinoza had CPR performed on her at the scene and was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.
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The witness who saw the crash followed Lopez after she failed to stop, according to court documents.
The witness told police that when he was following Lopez, she ran two red lights while fleeing the scene.
At Lee Trevino and Gateway West, the witness parked his car in the path of Lopez’s vehicle.
The witness said he had his gun with him and started to yell and tell the woman to get out of her car and go back to the scene of the crash, according to court documents.
The woman then allegedly revved her engine and went around him, according to court documents.
The witness told police he feared for his life and at the same time did not want the suspect to leave and “crash or kill someone else,” he said.
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He then said he fired his gun toward the tires of Lopez’s car. Court documents did not say if he hit her car or anything else.
The witness then followed the suspect over to Duskin Drive, where she was eventually arrested by police.
The court documents obtained by KTSM did not say if the witness would be facing charges for firing his gun inside the city limits.
Lopez’s blood-alcohol sample was 0.03 lower than the legal limit of 0.08, according to court documents.
Lopez also told police that she thought she hit a “pothole” and that’s why she didn’t stop at the scene.
She admitted to running two red lights when leaving the scene, according to court docuemnts.
When she was confronted by the witness at Lee Trevino and Gateway West, she said she had no idea who the person was and that he was pointing a gun at her. She said she got scared and heard two shots fired, but wasn’t sure if they were at her or her car.
Police said a passenger in Lopez’s car was arrested on an unrelated traffic warrant.
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