Body found near Greenfield ID’d as victim missing in DUI crash

UPDATE: 10/5/2018 3:21 p.m. Authorities confirmed that a body found near Greenfield is related to a DUI crash from last year.

On February 11, 2017, three people were struck by a drunk driver and thrown into the Salinas River. The victim, Julian Lopez was never found.

According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, 23-year-old Nicanor De Jesus Sanchez was driving with a blood alcohol content of .23 when he crashed through a road closure gate at Elm Avenue bridge, East of Greenfield.

Sanchez’s Honda Accord spun out of control striking Lopez and two other pedestrians who were on the bridge.

“The pedestrians were crushed between the defendant’s car and a steel guard rail and violently thrown into the Salinas River,” said DA Dean Flippo.

On Sept. 28 the sheriff’s office found remains they thought could be Lopez.

On Thursday, the Coroners Detectives were able to positively identify the remains of Julian Lopez with dental records.

The sheriff’s search and rescue team returned to the area Lopez was found and recovered more remains on Friday.

Sanchez was sentenced to 12 years and 8 months in prison for hitting the three victims with his car while drunk.