Columbia woman takes plea deal in deadly 2023 crash with motorcycle
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
EDITOR'S NOTE: AI was used in background research for this article
A Columbia woman scheduled to stand trial in March pleaded guilty during a pre-trial conference Monday to a fatal 2023 crash that killed a teenage motorcyclist.
Elizabeth Lopez was charged with second-degree involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident following the collision on West Broadway. She pleaded guilty to three counts of leaving the scene and the manslaughter charge was dropped.
In a statement, Lopez's lawyer Jessica Caldera said Lopez she maintains her innocence for involuntary manslaughter.
The crash occurred on Aug. 5, 2023, and resulted in the death of 18-year-old Walker Davis. Police say Lopez pulled her vehicle out of an apartment complex in the 3600 block of West Broadway into the path of two motorcycles, causing a collision that killed Davis and injured two other people.
The family of Davis had mixed reactions to the plea deal, calling both a step forward and a step back.
"It was the best choice to make sure that we got her to plead guilty on the other counts," Davis's mother, Mary Davis said. "She was, in the prosecutor's words, 'dead to rights' on those three charges, there's no denying them, and so she doesn't have a leg to stand on."
After the crash, police say Lopez re-entered the Kelly's Ridge apartments parking lot and fled the scene. Court documents allege she went back to her apartment and told her boyfriend about the crash. While officers investigated the scene and towed her vehicle from outside the apartment, Lopez allegedly did not make herself known to the police.
"I hope to see some humanity, so far, she's not shown that at all," Davis said. "Not when she left my son on the road. Not when she left those other two drivers on the road, we have yet to see any humanity."
Caldera adds that this is "a hard case all around, and it’s a sad situation."
Lopez reportedly told investigators later that she consumed an alcoholic drink after returning to her apartment. She contacted the police early the next morning to provide a statement and insurance information.
Following her arrest, Lopez later paid a $7,500 bond after the August crash.
Davis adds that the family wants to make sure Lopez is held accountable.
"Today, my son has been dead for 961 days, I have served 961 days, my husband has served 961 days and all of my other five children have served 961 days," Davis said. "This accident happened two and a half years ago, she has not spent one night in jail."
Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced March 31 at 1:30 p.m. Lopez's lawyer adds they plan to argue for Lopez to receive a sentence of probation.
