Background: News footage of the incident in Miami, Florida, on Sept. 18 (WPLG). Inset (left): Oscar Andres Portillo Lopez (Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation). Inset (right): Cinthia Liliana Sierra Linares (GoFundMe).
A Florida driver is in custody after police said he was involved in two car crashes the same night, one of them fatal.
On the night of September 18, 24-year-old Oscar Andres Portillo Lopez was driving his Honda Accord when, according to police, he collided with a Chevrolet Colorado in Miami, Florida. An arrest affidavit obtained by Law & Crime indicates the Colorado’s driver observed Portillo Lopez “swerving from left to right at high speed” prior to the alleged crash. After the initial impact, Portillo Lopez is accused of reversing and hitting the Colorado again.
The driver of the Colorado claims that after these incidents, Portillo Lopez drove past her, giving her a “sarcastic smile.”
But according to police, that was not the end of Portillo Lopez”s series of collisions.
As outlined in the court documents, Portillo Lopez is alleged to have fled the scene, running multiple red lights. He continued driving until he reportedly crashed into a Jeep Compass, operated by 35-year-old Cinthia Liliana Sierra Linares. The collision allegedly caused the Compass to hit a traffic pole, and Portillo Lopez’s car came to a halt after hitting a traffic sign and a wall.
According to the police, a passenger in the Colorado witnessed the crash and attempted to assist Linares. This witness also noted that Portillo Lopez exited his vehicle, reportedly laughing and shouting in Spanish, “What’s the problem?”
Linares, a Colombian immigrant who was described as a “dear friend” on GoFundMe, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Colorado suffered a fractured tooth and bruising; her passenger told police he had a hand injury.
When police detained Portillo Lopez, they reported that he had the odor of alcohol and was slurring his speech. He was treated at the hospital for a broken wrist before being taken to Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he remains held without bond. He is charged with reckless vehicular homicide and two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with significant injuries.
Police said that his toxicology results were pending.
During a court appearance on Monday, a judge ruled that Portillo Lopez will remain in custody until trial. His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 10.
