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A fatal crash on the 14 Freeway in the northbound lanes, north of Soledad Canyon Road, prompted a DUI investigation Sunday morning, officials said.

Fatal 14 Freeway DUI Crash Suspect Pleads Not Guilty

After a fatal 14 freeway DUI crash in August, the man officials believe is responsible pleaded not guilty earlier this month to charges stemming from the fiery collision.


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Joe Lopez, 25, of Littlerock, was arrested on vehicular manslaughter and felony DUI charges on Aug. 13, shortly after the crash, according to Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station officials.

He entered a “not guilty” plea at the San Fernando Superior Courthouse on Dec. 5.

Shortly before 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 13, Lopez, in a 2004 Toyota Matrix, allegedly began drifting from the rightmost lane of the northbound 14 freeway into the shoulder of the freeway.

The victim, 62-year-old Sam Edinburgh, was parked in a 2007 Toyota Corolla on the right shoulder of the 14 when he was struck from behind.

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Fire personnel arrived on scene at 5:40 a.m. to an area north of Soledad Canyon Road and reported that a vehicle was fully engulfed in flames. Edinburgh was declared dead at the scene by first responders.

Bail was initially set at $100,000, but was later increased to $2 million. Lopez will return to court for a preliminary hearing Jan. 29.

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Fatal 14 Freeway DUI Crash Suspect Pleads Not Guilty

About Chris McCrory

Chris McCrory is the acting News Director for KHTS Radio. He set up a profile picture in his first week as an intern in 2015, and still isn't sure how to change it. He will graduate from Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism in December 2018.