This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A 22-year-old Magna man has been sentenced to prison for losing control of his car while driving too fast and killing a man who was changing a flat tire.
Anthony Lopez was originally charged with second-degree felony manslaughter in connection to the July 2, 2015, death of Graham Ambrose,
Lopez pleaded guilty in August to a reduced third-degree felony count.
On Monday, 3rd District Judge Paul Parker sentenced him to prison up to five years. Lopez also must pay restitution of $36,608.54.
Ambrose, 67, was changing a flat tire in the right emergency lane of State Route 201 about 9 p.m. when he was struck by Lopez's vehicle and killed. Ambrose's wife, who was sitting in the car, was injured.
Lopez also was injured in the crash, and admitted to police that he had been speeding. The Utah Highway Patrol concluded that Lopez had been driving between 93 and 104 mph when he lost control and struck Ambrose. The speed limit there is 65 mph.
The defendant had claimed that he lost control while attempting to pass slower traffic and came upon a truck hauling a trailer and was unable to slow down in time, and swerved off the road.
A witness, however, told police that she saw Lopez's Acura traveling side-by-side with another speeding car, and it appeared as if the two drivers were speaking to each other. The witness said the Acura lost control, hit a road sign and hit Ambrose.