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Singer was in van that struck and killed Honduran boy earlier this month, one of her lawyers confirms
By MIKE WILLIAMS
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer
La Ceiba, Honduras -- Nearly three weeks before dying in a car accident near here, Atlanta singer Lisa Lopes was in a van that struck and killed a 10-year-old Honduran boy in an accident that was not reported to legal authorities.
The van was being driven by Lopes personal assistant, said Greg Adams, public affairs officer for the U.S. embassy. Stephanie Patterson of Atlanta was Lopes' personal assistant until Lopes' death Thursday.
The Mitsubishi Patterson was driving was in the center lane, and the boy -- Bayron Isaul Fuentes Lopez -- stepped off the median. "He was trailing after his sisters and brothers and stepped off the curb at the last minute," Adams said.
Early Sunday evening, a manager for Lopes' pop group, TLC, said he was aware of reports about the April 6 accident in Honduras. "But the reality is, no one I'm dealing with wants to comment at this time," said Rob Goldstone.
He also added that he was not certain if Patterson had returned to Atlanta. She could not be reached for comment.
Patrick James Bennett, a lawyer in Honduras who has represented Lopes in other matters but not this one, nonetheless confirmed some of the details of the accident.
He said it never was reported to police or the judiciary, and no autopsy was performed, as required under Honduran law in deaths not by natural causes. He also said that Lopes paid about $3,700 for the boy's medical care and funeral, and also gave the family about $925.
The boy "was on the main street with a group of people who crossed over," Bennett said. "The kid jumped in front. That's the reason the family pressed no charges. (Lopes and Patterson) did everything that was possible to be done. They paid the expenses and the funeral, and the family was contented. They didn't call the police."
The family had taken down Lopes' name at the time of the accident and noted the tattoos on her arms, according to a report in the San Pedro Sula daily newspaper, La Prensa. After her death last Thursday, a photo of Lopes in which her tattoos were visible ran in the Honduran press, and the family realized she was involved in the boy's death.
The accident happened between 8:45 and 9 p.m. on a highway near the Reyes Caballero neighborhood in the La Lima sector, about a half hour drive from central San Pedro Sula.
At the time the boy was hit, Lopes, Patterson and a man whom Bennett knew only as "James" were driving in the van to pick up Kurtis Toliver , who runs Lopes' Atlanta recording studios and was arriving at the San Pedro Sula airport, Bennett said.
The boy was walking with his uncle, Miguel Angel Rivera, to visit other family when he was struck, La Prensa reported.
The boy's family "entered into talks with some lawyers from San Pedro Sula contracted by the singer so that they would take care of the case and it would go no further," the newspaper said.
Attempts to reach those attorneys were not immediately successful. The boy's family "did not file charges against Stephanie and Lisa Lopes because they acted so well, in such a good fashion," the article, which was written in Spanish, stated. "They were with the child until his last moments."
Bennett said no autopsy was performed because "it depends on who you are in Honduras. There are a lot of bodies in the morgue. If Lisa Lopes was Honduran, they would not be doing that (performing an autopsy). It's because she's famous and not a Honduran."
Also Sunday, Lopes' body "was released to funeral home in the afternoon for preparation. The autopsy was completed over the weekend," said the U.S. Embassy's Adams.
He said one member of the group accopanying the rapper on vacation was still in the hospital with a broken leg. The rest all have been released.
Lopes' body was to be released to family Monday.
Employee Rosa de Diaz confirmed that Funeraria San Jose is handling the arrangments and that the autopsy had been completed.
A private wake for Lisa Lopes is set for Wednesday evening and the funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, according to TLC's manager, Bill Diggins. The location for the funeral was still pending as of Sunday evening.
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