View Full Version : Soldier dies after fight
Bill Harsey
01-06-2009, 09:46
Already posted on Drudge Report, Ft. Bragg soldier loses life in off duty fight.
http://m.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/05/man-dies-after-fight-over-jukebox-selection-steamb/
Rest in Peace Sir.
I just saw that and was going to comment about it here.
RIP
The Reaper
01-06-2009, 09:59
RIP, hermano.
TR
What a shame and waste of a soldiers life. RIP. Thank you for your service.
SpetsnaZ
01-06-2009, 11:18
Rest in Peace
Definately sad to hear.
RIP
Rest in Peace! :( Such a shame and a tragedy.
RIP brother. You will not be forgotten
Follow up article from Denver.
Richard Lopez's ex-wife can't get over the irony and sadness of the soldier's death — from wounds outside a Steamboat Springs bar after he slipped on the ice then suffered a severe beating.
Lopez was a survivor, serving in the U.S. Army Special Forces in Afghanistan, parachuting out of airplanes and battling back from being shot in the stomach in combat three years ago, said Shannon Boahn, who was married to Lopez for eight years.
"He'd just returned from Afghanistan," Boahn said of Lopez, who was assigned to a special forces unit at Fort Brag, N.C.
He picked up his 16-year-old son, Nick from Jacksonville, Fla., on Christmas Day and flew out to Steamboat Springs to join his friends, Tim and Wesley Mottlau.
They had spent a great week together, and for their last night in Steamboat Springs the three adults went to the Tap House on Friday night, Boahn said.
Wes Mottlau told her that the trouble started when Lopez and the Mottlaus played a Jimmy Buffett song on the jukebox.
"These other two guys didn't like the song and were giving them a hard time," Boahn said. "They put on a Kanye West song, and Richard, Wes and Tim were razzing them about the Kanye West song."
"Wes said that they were walking back to the car and the men were razzing them and Wes told Richard to just forget about it.
"But I guess Richard was responding back to the insults.
"The next thing they knew, Richard was over there on the ground. They think he slipped on the ice.
"Everyone was amazed that a Special Forces soldier could manage to die when he hit his head ... he just slipped and was unconscious."
But the story doesn't end there, she said.
"This one guy continued beating him when he was unconscious," Boahn said.
She said Wes Mottlau is about 6-feet 4-inches and weighs more than 200 lbs. "And he was severely beaten up just from being on top of Richard, trying to protect him from the blows."
Steamboat Springs Police are treating the case as a homicide.
"I hope they do all they can to put this person away," she said.
Boahn said she and Lopez had a good relationship, despite their divorce.
"He was a very good father," she said. "He and Nick had a very good relationship, even if they went several months without seeing each other. It was never awkward."
"Richard was very responsible, but also very fun-loving ... very young at heart."
The funeral will take place in California, Boahn said. She isn't sure of the date.
Eagle5US
01-06-2009, 13:28
This just sucks...
Rest Well.
Eagle
Trip_Wire (RIP)
01-06-2009, 13:50
RIP Brother
HMass18Z
01-06-2009, 13:53
Very Sad Story . . . . . .
RIP Brother
Prayers out to the family and friends. RIP
olhamada
01-06-2009, 14:39
May God be with your family and give them comfort. RIP.
longrange1947
01-06-2009, 15:00
Rest in peace hermano.
Defion69
01-06-2009, 17:06
Truly sad story....RIP hermano.
Ambush Master
01-06-2009, 17:11
Thoughts and Prayers out to the Family. Rest in Peace Brother.
TOMAHAWK9521
01-06-2009, 18:40
RIP, brother.
This is awful. Rest in Peace, Soldier. :(
Holy smokes, last time I talked to Rich was right before his last deployment. Me and Rich go back to when we were privates. Our kids used to play together before the seperation. I'll have to get a hold of the PAO so I can find out how to pay my condolances.
Rest in Peace Rich
http://news.soc.mil/releases/News%20Archive/2009/January/090106-05.html
RELEASE NUMBER: 090106-05
DATE POSTED: JANUARY 6, 2009
PRESS RELEASE: Bio of Special Forces Soldier killed in Steamboat Springs, Colo. incident
USASFC(A) PAO
Sergeant 1st Class Richard Lopez was born on Nov. 17, 1971 in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and attended Arroyo Grande High School.
After enlisting as an infantryman in 1993, Richard served at multiple duty stations, stateside and overseas. His tours include Fort Campbell, Ky., the Republic of South Korea, Fort Bragg, N.C., Gainesville, Fla., Iraq, and Afghanistan. He served as a scout-sniper until he was selected to become a U.S. Army Recruiter in 2000. After serving as a recruiter in Gainesville, Fla., Lopez returned to the 82nd Airborne Division and served as a platoon sergeant.
He began his quest to become a Special Forces Soldier in 2004 by attending the Special Forces Communications Sergeant Course. Lopez completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2005 and was assigned to 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) based in Fort Bragg, N.C. He was assigned to Operational Detachment-Alpha 784.
Lopez’s military education includes the Special Forces Communications Sergeant Course, Advanced Special Operations Techniques Course, Advanced Non-Commissioned Officer’s Course, Jumpmaster Course, Military Freefall Course, Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape Course, Ranger School, Airborne School, and the U.S. Army Recruiter Course.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star with two oak leaf clusters, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Good Conduct Medal with three bronze knots, the National Defense Service Medal with service star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with “3” numeral, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, NATO Medal, Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Royal Netherlands Army Freefall Badge and the Gold Recruiter Badge.
He is survived by his son Nicholas James Lopez, father Vincent Suarez, sister Mary Ventura, and brother Mark Suarez along with his closest friends and loved ones.
--usasoc--
Rest in peace Sergeant Lopez
Bill Harsey
01-07-2009, 09:11
Dan,
Thank you for posting the press release on Sgt. Lopez.
Trying to hold back rant after reading this: http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/jan/07/lopez_died_head_injury/
What the **** are they smoking up there??? :mad:
Edited to add:
What I'm having a hard time with is the statement by LEO who is quoted as saying, and I'm paraphrasing, "it wasn't the punches in the face that killed him, it was his falling backwards (as a result of said punches) and hitting his head on the concrete so the defendants might only be charged with 2nd degree assault" My narrow opinion is that if you hit someone hard enough to cause their death, you did it.
Of course this all assumes the quote is accurate.
LEO quoted Colorado law in this case. CoLawman, Thoughts?
The rest of the article was probably fair.
greenberetTFS
01-07-2009, 12:03
RIP,Warrior...........:(
GB TFS
ZonieDiver
01-07-2009, 12:06
Rest in Peace.
Am sharing Mr. Harsey's outrage...hope they fry for stealing the life of such a precious gift to this planet.
RIP.
Holly
Red Flag 1
01-07-2009, 15:10
Just an awful story!
Rest In Peace!
Thank you for your service.
Roguish Lawyer
01-07-2009, 15:36
RIP
RIP prayers to his family
CoLawman
01-07-2009, 22:14
Rest in Peace.
May God accept you into his loving arms.
JustinW20
01-08-2009, 11:30
Rest in peace.
Puertoland
01-13-2009, 11:36
RIP
Bill Harsey
01-21-2009, 14:21
The "possible defendants" talk via mouthpiece... http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_11455457
The "possible defendants" talk via mouthpiece... http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_11455457
They better...for thier own sakes...IMHO.:mad:
Steamboat Springs police Capt. Joel Rae reacted strongly Wednesday afternoon to the defense statement:
"The Steamboat Springs Police Department continues to conduct a thorough investigation concerning the death of Richard Lopez," Rae said. "We are not — not — basing our investigation on what four individuals have said to a defense attorney.
RIP, your battles are over, May the Lord Watch over you and yours
Bill Harsey
01-30-2009, 12:02
A tiny bit of positive news in the investigation as printed in the Steamboat Pilot:
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/jan/28/steamboat_briefs_police_still_investigating_death_/
A tiny bit of positive news in the investigation as printed in the Steamboat Pilot:
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/jan/28/steamboat_briefs_police_still_investigating_death_/
Mr. Harsey,
Thank you for posting this update.
"Police consider Lopez’s death a homicide."
May those responsible for Lopez's death be sentenced to life in the General Populaion of the local Prison, where they will receive all the attention of the inmates currently residing there.
Holly
Mr. Harsey,
Thank you for posting this update.
"Police consider Lopez’s death a homicide."
May those responsible for Lopez's death be sentenced to life in the General Populaion of the local Prison, where they will receive all the attention of the inmates currently residing there.
Holly
DITTO!!! Thank you Mr. Harsey! :lifter
I'd rather the perps hang, but that's just me.
I'd rather the perps hang, but that's just me.
You sound like me and that is a good thing.......:D
You sound like me and that is a good thing.......:D
A huge compliment...I'm humbled.
:p
Bill Harsey
02-19-2009, 13:07
DA takes over Lopez case...
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/feb/19/da_takes_over_lopez_case/
Fiercely Loyal
02-20-2009, 04:36
how stupid that a professional is beaten to death over music. it is the same damn attitude of those people that have killed two soldiers back in alaska also. two soldiers in individual incidents were shot and died in anchorage. one of which was an mp trying to defuse a situation with a civilian and soldier. it is so stupid to think we come home from deployments and are killed by our own countrymen.
uboat509
02-20-2009, 15:39
how stupid that a professional is beaten to death over music. it is the same damn attitude of those people that have killed two soldiers back in alaska also. two soldiers in individual incidents were shot and died in anchorage. one of which was an mp trying to defuse a situation with a civilian and soldier. it is so stupid to think we come home from deployments and are killed by our own countrymen.
I would have to say that there is world of difference between shooting and killing someone and accidently killing someone in a fistfight. So far there has not been enough information released to determine what actually happened.
SFC W
Fiercely Loyal
03-03-2009, 07:40
This was my friend. The MP I spoke about.
http://www.adn.com/crime/story/608370.html
DbeforeD
03-03-2009, 07:54
My condolences, rest in peace, may the Lord protect your family and your soul. You will be missed, brother.