Man Convicted of Attempting to Kill Police Officer Sentenced to Life in Prison
Today in Department 17 of the South County Justice Center in Porterville, the court sentenced Fresno man Ignacio Lopez, age 37, to life in prison.
On August 18, 2020, Tulare Police Department officers were on the lookout for a Chevy Impala thought to be involved in a shooting earlier that morning. An undercover unit located an Impala parked behind a dumpster at a local bank. Believing the car could be a match, the officer ran the plates that came back as belonging to a Dodge. The Impala left the parking lot and entered city streets, committing several infractions in the process. A pursuit ensued and multiple units joined the chase. It was at this time that the Impala was determined not to be the vehicle from that morning’s shooting.
The Impala, driven by co-defendant Melissa Sarver, age 51, of Fresno, traveled at high rates of speed against traffic eastbound on Prosperity Avenue. Lopez sat in the passenger side. As the vehicle neared Mooney Boulevard, the car struck another vehicle and came to a stop. Preparing for a felony stop, an officer positioned his vehicle along the Impala’s passenger side, exited his vehicle, and un-holstered his weapon. Lopez, armed with a handgun, stuck his head out of the window, looked at the officer, and pointed the gun at him. A firefight erupted between Lopez and the officer, who could hear Lopez’s shots hitting his patrol vehicle. Two additional officers arrived and engaged Lopez. Wounded, Lopez eventually complied with commands to exit the vehicle. He and Sarver, who sustained a wound to her arm, surrendered and were taken into custody.
Further investigation determined that Lopez had a failure to appear warrant issued for his arrest in Fresno County for a series of alleged bank robberies. Lopez was on bail for those crimes when the shooting occurred. Video surveillance from the Tulare bank where the incident began showed Lopez exiting the Impala wearing a mask, gloves, hat, and sunglasses attempting to enter the bank lobby, which was closed due to COVID-19. At the scene of the shooting, officers discovered the real license plates for Impala underneath the Dodge plates. Sarver also possessed a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office press release with photos of Lopez from the alleged bank robberies.
Lopez was convicted of willful, deliberated, premeditated attempted murder of a peace officer with personal discharge of a firearm, assault on a peace officer with a semi-automatic firearm, conspiracy to commit a bank robbery, and that he possesses two prior felony theft convictions. Prior to trial, Lopez pleaded no contest to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On July 1, 2021, Sarver pleaded to conspiracy to commit bank robbery, felony evading, and willfully driving in the opposite late against traffic during a pursuit. The Court sentenced her to over three years in prison on August 2.
Lopez faces additional charges of bank robbery in Fresno County.
As sentenced by the Court, Lopez must serve 114 years in prison before being considered for parole. However, AB 3234 (2020) provides that inmates who are 50 years and older and have been incarcerated for 20 continuous years will be eligible for a parole suitability hearing.
The case was prosecuted by Supervising Deputy District Attorney Jessica Weatherly and was investigated by Sergeant Josh Lowry of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. Detective Patrick Beggs of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office provided additional trial support.
Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare
Public Information Officer Stuart Anderson (559) 636-5494