FLORENCE-On December 20, 2021, the Florence Police Department responded to a report of a pedestrian having been struck by a vehicle on Chisholm Rd. near the intersection with E. Rasch Rd. When officers arrived, they identified the victim as Lori Avery, a 56 year old woman from Florence. Emergency Medical Services responded and Ms. Avery was pronounced deceased.
Evidence at the scene was located to indicate that Ms. Avery had been struck by a vehicle, however the vehicle was not present. Florence Police Investigators were able to analyze the evidence and identify the involved vehicle to be a Nissan Altima.
On December 26, 2021, Patrol Officer N. White located the Nissan in the 100 block of S. Kirkman St. in Florence. Investigators learned that the driver of the car was Marlin Javier Lopez, a 50 year old man from Florence. “Javier” Lopez was not a resident of the Kirkman St. address, but had left the car parked behind the house prior to leaving the area.
A warrant for leaving the scene of an accident with injury was issued for Javier Lopez.
Investigators exhausted all leads locally to locate Javier Lopez and requested assistance from the United
States Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Task Force as well as the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. On November 29, 2023, Javier Lopez was located in the Atlanta, Ga area and was arrested. He is currently being held in the Lauderdale County Detention Center without a bond.
Medi Release/Sergeant Cliff Billingsley/Florence Police Department
