Almost a year to the day after Juan Lopez was struck and killed in a hit-and-run on Santa Barbara’s Cliff Drive, suspect Brock Alexander Hoffman appeared in Santa Barbara Superior Court for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday morning.
On the night of June 29, 2024, Hoffman fatally struck Juan Lopez, a Vons store manager, with his 1996 Toyota Landcruiser on the 800 block of Cliff Drive. Hoffman turned himself in on July 4, 2024, and was quickly released on $50,000 bail. On September 11, he pleaded not guilty to one felony count of “leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death.”
More than 10 months later, Hoffman appeared in court in a blue sport jacket on Tuesday with his attorney Joshua Zane Webb in a preliminary hearing in front of Judge Stephen Foley. Deputy District Attorney Michelle Mossembekker was present representing the people. She was recently commended by Santa Barbara District Attorney John Savrnoch for her work on a 2024 case convicting Andrew Raymond Burgher of double murder for a DUI crash on Cathedral Oaks back in 2021.
Also present was Traffic Officer Edward Kasper, who took the witness stand. When asked about what had happened that night, Officer Kasper said that Lopez was crossing Cliff Drive when the Landcruiser, driven by Hoffman, struck him. With hesitation in his voice, Officer Kasper said that Lopez was “instantly deceased.” According to Officer Kasper, Hoffman did not call 9-1-1.
Officers were made aware of the incident after being called for a vehicle burglary nearby. Officer Kasper was not on duty at the time of the incident, but was called in, arriving at the scene about 30 minutes after the incident occurred.
Officer Brian Doca, previously an EMT, was present on the scene and administered lifesaving measures, though they were futile. Conferring with Officer Doca, Officer Kasper came to the opinion that Lopez had died on impact, with the death certificate stating death by blunt force trauma.
There were bits of black translucent plastic and pieces of glass headlights left in the roadway, some bearing the text “yota” and “Japan.” Officer Kasper took this information to Santa Barbara Toyota, confirming with the service manager that these pieces are consistent with ’90s models of Landcruisers.
On July 2, after running the license plate number of the SUV involved in the incident, Officer Kasper located Hoffman’s vehicle in the parking area of his apartment complex, with a crumpled hood. Parked next to the 1996 Landcruiser was a white Forerunner belonging to Hoffman’s daughter. Allegedly, Hoffman had appeared at his daughter’s residence around 6:30 the morning after the incident to borrow his daughter’s car because his was “broke.”
When Officer Kasper first approached Hoffman on July 2, Hoffman was on the phone with a civil attorney who was coaching him on how to answer the officer’s questions. Hoffman handed over the keys to the Landcruiser willingly.
Both lawyers questioned the only witness, Officer Kasper, in Tuesday’s court appearance, and the preliminary hearing ended with attorneys agreeing on August 11 for the arraignment.
There is also an ongoing civil case filed in July 2024 by Lopez’s four children. They are suing Hoffman for the death of their father and are seeking compensation for damages including “the loss of support, love, companionship, and society.” That case has a case management conference set for August 4.
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