A Gainesville man is facing vehicular homicide, DUI and other charges in connection to a crash last Sunday morning that killed a Gainesville woman in the North Hall area.
Jommar Gabriel Lopez, 20, suffered "serious but non-life threatening injuries," according to the Hall County Sheriff's Office, in the wreck on Thompson Bridge Road (GA 60) near Fraser Circle. He was taken into custody Thursday afternoon after receiving treatment at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville.
"The main offense being first degree vehicular homicide," said Hall County Sheriff's spokesman Derreck Booth. "He also faces several other offenses in relation to the accident, one being driving under the influence of alcohol - under the age of 21, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, driving on the wrong side of the road. Addiitionally, he's charged with open container, underage consumption of alcohol, operating a vehicle with a learner's permit - an expired learner's permit - as well as speeding."
Lopez has since been booked into the Hall County Jail, and an investigation into the case continues. Booth said Lopez has not had his first court appearance as of Thursday afternoon and therefore, does not yet have bond.
As previously reported on AccessWDUN, Lopez's passenger in the 2009 Toyota Corolla was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene. Lopez and Grechelle Enid Cuevas Lopez, 20, of Gainesville, were both wearing their seatbelts. Booth said despite having the same last name, the two were not related and were believed to be friends.
Booth said while the charges paint a picture, the agency is still actively investigating the crash.
