PRICHARD, ALABAMA – A Prichard Police Officer was booked into metro jail on reckless endangerment charges.
Ivan Lopez turned himself into Mobile Police Tuesday.
He’s accused of road rage during an alleged incident on the Cochran-Africatown Bridge back in July.
A woman, who we won’t identify, told police she was driving behind Lopez in his white Mercedes that night.
She says she passed him because he was driving too slowly.
As the woman approached the top of the bridge, she says she noticed Lopez in her rear view mirror, speeding towards her.
The woman claims the officer zoomed by her, cut her off, then completely stopped his car in front of her. She says she was forced to swerve to avoid hitting the car.
“After I did that he came beside me and tried to hit me with his car. He kept swinging his car towards mine and I kept moving out of his way,” the woman said. “At one point, when he came up and started the same thing again, I held up my cell phone and I said, ‘please leave me alone, if you don’t, I’m calling the police. ‘ “
The woman says Lopez then informed her he “was” the police.
The woman frantically dialed 911. She says Daphne Police advised her to exit the interstate and wait for police.
According to the woman, Daphne Police questioned Lopez at the scene.
She filed a complaint with Mobile Police, and after its investigation, Lopez turned himself into authorities.
Prichard Police Chief Jimmie Gardner responded to the incident.
“It’s the responsibility and duty of our officers to serve and protect the citizens. A citizen has alleged that an officer engaged in reckless endangerment while traveling down the road in a private vehicle.
This allegation is under investigation and if found to be true, we will take all appropriate actions,” says Gardner.
Lopez was released from jail on his own recognizance.
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