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He knew he'd be seeing her in just a few minutes, and she was right around the corner from their Lothian with her sister and their mom, Lopez's wife.
Fate had other plans for Lopez's family on Saturday, Dec. 17, though, as Lopez's wife, Rosa Cortez, and daughters were struck by a drunk driver going 100 mph — and they never made it home.
Meanwhile, the drunken driver — identified in the Capital Gazette as 28-year-old Robert Scott Torres — apparently escaped without injury.
More than $39,500 had been raised on a GoFundMe Lopez launched for his family as of Wednesday, Dec. 28.
The three were airlifted to hospitals in DC.
Lopez's wife, Rosa, was left with a broken skull, both legs fractured, broken ribs, punctured lungs, a jaw fracture, and back injury. She has already undergone four surgeries.
The eldest daughter in the crash who is 15 sustained intestinal damage, and had an emergency surgery, back surgery, arm surgery, and damage to her carotid artery since the crash. Her brain has reportedly also sustained a bleed that is being monitored, Lopez said.
The 9-year-old also received gruesome injuries, with her "intestine out", a broken hip, broken ribs, punctured lung, and damaged major artery and was flown to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, the father said.
All three were able to miraculously survive and be off of respirators within the week following the crash, Lopez states. He continues to ask for support, stating his history working as a safety professional dedicating to keep others safe.
Torres told police he had consumed one beer shortly before the crash, and failed a field-sobriety test. The crash is under investigation by the county police’s Traffic Safety Section, continues the Capital Gazette.
To read the full story by the Capital Gazette, click here. To access the GoFundMe to support the Lopez family, click here.
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