Man wanted in 2024 Kent vehicular homicide case

A King County Superior Court judge has issued an $100,000 bench warrant for the arrest of a 34-year-old man facing charges of vehicular homicide and reckless driving after he reportedly removed his electronic home monitoring device and failed to appear in court.

Prosecutors filed charges against Jose Luis Lopez Garcia Nov. 7, 2024 after a Nov. 4, 2024 crash that killed a 38-year-old woman in Kent.

Lopez Garcia, out of jail after posting bail, reportedly removed his electronic home monitoring device on his ankle and his current whereabouts are unknown, according to King County Superior Court documents obtained Jan. 6 by the Kent Reporter.

Lopez Garcia reportedly was impaired and driving about 111 mph when he struck another vehicle at about 11:30 p.m. Nov. 4 in the 24200 block of Pacific Highway South on the West Hill, according to charging documents.

Mellissa Luangsrinhotha, 38, a passenger in the vehicle that was hit, died of multiple blunt force injuries in the crash, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office. She died at the scene.

Lopez Garcia pleaded not guilty on Nov. 21, 2024 to vehicular homicide and reckless driving. A judge granted a defense motion to reduce bail, which initially had been set at $100,000, and ordered electronic home monitoring for Lopez Garcia.

On Dec. 6, 2025, King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention staff received a tamper alert that Lopez Garcia’s ankle device is no longer on him, according to court documents. Staff tried to contact Lopez Garcia via telephone but was unsuccessful and reported that his current whereabouts are unknown. That court violation led to the bench warrant.

Lopez Garcia’s most recent home address was in Des Moines, according to court documents. He had a SeaTac home address when Kent Police arrested him.

The crash

According to charging documents, Lopez Garcia was driving a 2016 Buick Regal northbound on Pacific Highway South. At the same time, Sinath Tep, of Tacoma, the husband of Luangsrinhotha, was driving a 2000 Ford Taurus with his wife in the passenger seat. Tep attempted to make a U-turn to go northbound from a left turn lane.

Lopez Garcia was reportedly speeding northbound at 111 mph when he slammed into the passenger side of the Taurus, according to charging papers.

Witnesses saw Lopez Garcia exit the driver’s side of the Buick and reportedly throw an empty 32-ounce can of Corona into the bushes. Witnesses did not observe any other occupants in the Buick.

When law enforcement arrived, Lopez Garcia claimed he was driving southbound, which was incorrect based on the witness statements and physical evidence observed at the scene. Lopez Garcia then claimed that the other driver had turned in front of him and he could not avoid a collision. Further, the defendant admitted to drinking earlier in the day, which was corroborated by the odor of intoxicants on his breath, his bloodshot watery eyes, and unsteadiness on his feet, according to charging documents.

When asked by a Kent Police officer if he had been drinking, Lopez Garcia reportedly replied that he had drank earlier in the day but not recently. Lopez Garcia then declined to answer any more questions.

Crash data analysis showed the Buick’s speed 5 seconds prior to the crash was approximately 111 mph, and the speed of the Buick .05 seconds prior to the crash was 98 mph. The posted speed limit is 45 mph.

The victim

Melissa “Tiang” Luangsrinhotha, the eldest daughter of Pheth Luangsrinhotha, was born on Feb. 24, 1986, in Modesto California, according to her obituary posted online by Marlatt Funeral Home in Kent. Not only was she a first daughter, but also the first born granddaughter in her family to be born in the U.S. She took on a huge role of helping her Lao immigrant family navigate through the American culture, all while learning to do the same at a very young age.

Luangsrinhotha and her mother moved to Raymond, Washington where she attended high school and excelled in all her academics. She was known for her leadership, intelligence and athleticism, excelling in basketball and volleyball.

At age 20, she gave birth to her first born child, Amaya Jun, and moved to Kansas City, Missouri where she would raise her daughter and helped her mother raise her three younger siblings on their own, according to her obituary. She valued independence and worked hard to instill this trait within the children in her family. She made many friends, from all walks of life, who she impacted greatly; and this would continue to be a reoccurring theme of the influence she left behind. She created lasting memories everywhere she went.

Eventually, Luangsrinhotha and her immediate family returned back to the Pacific Northwest where she spent the remaining years of her life. She gave birth to her second child, Sinaya Tep, who is also the daughter of her husband, Sinath Tep.

Back at home, she rekindled with childhood friends and family, creating a close-knit foundation of people who she loved and always protected; especially the ones who all called her a mom, sister, or auntie, according to her obituary. Not only was she an incredible motherly figure to her daughters, but also to her own siblings and several others. She took on a huge role for those who needed it and did it as an act of love.