Richmond man arrested after fatal, 3-vehicle crash
RICHMOND, Ind. (WISH) — A man has been arrested after a fatal, three-vehicle crash that happened last week in Wayne County, police say.
Indiana State Police responded to a crash around 4:45 p.m. May 10 on Pottershop Road, which is west of Creek Road near Centerville.
Samuel Weller, 47, of Liberty, was driving a 2008 Kawasaki motorcycle west on Pottershop Road. At the same time, Ericka Lundy, 51, of Richmond, was driving a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan van east on Pottershop Road. Following the Caravan was a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox SUV driven by Rafael Lopez, 27, of Richmond, police say.
According to a news release, Lopez began to pass Lundy in a marked “no passing zone” approaching a hill. During the illegal pass, Lopez collided head-on with Weller causing him to be thrown from his motorcycle.
Weller died at the crash scene.
Lundy and Lopez did not sustain any injuries during the crash.
Lopez was taken to Reed Hospital to submit a certified test per the Indiana Implied Consent Law.
Investigators determined that Lopez was operating a vehicle without a valid Indiana driver’s license.
On Wednesday, Indiana State Police and Richmond Police Department went to the 300 block of North 17th Street in Richmond to serve an arrest warrant on Lopez for reckless homicide, according to a news release. Lopez was taken into custody Wednesday without incident and is in the Wayne County Jail.
Lopez also was charged with operating without ever obtaining a license, according to jail records.
This investigation is ongoing.
