Occurred on 2/12/13, 1:05am  Driving While Intoxicated  5400 Carroll Lane  1302120003

Police were called to 5400 Carroll Lane for an accident in which the children inside a gold Dodge Durango were being driven away.  Officers arrived to find the Durango had rear-ended a blue Chevrolet Cavalier.  The impact caused the Cavalier to spin, jump the curb and come to a stop in the grass.  The Durango continued traveling southbound on Carroll Lane and hit a tree.

A witness told Police the driver Melissa Lopez (09/27/82) was last seen running through the Carroll Lane Apartments.  Lopez was found by Officers and escorted back to accident scene.

Further investigation revealed that when Lopez was unable to drive off, she removed the Durango’s license plates. She also asked a family member driving behind her to take her 4 and 6-year-olds who were in the SUV at the time of the accident.  The two young girls were taken to Driscoll Children’s Hospital where they were treated for facial injuries.

The 59-year-old driver of the Cavalier and the 52-year-old passenger were both taken to Spohn Memorial by CCFD Emergency Personnel with serious injuries.

Lopez who appeared intoxicated was administered Standard Field Sobriety Tests and a Blood Specimen taken.  She was also positively identified by witnesses and placed under arrest.  Lopez was charged with Driving While Intoxicated~With Child, Resisting Arrest, and Driving While License Suspended/Invalid.