Trial resumes for man accused of killing six

The jury trial of a 71-year-old man accused of manslaughter in the deaths of two women and four children killed in 2016 resumed Monday.

Richard Lopez, of Walnut, faces six misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter and one misdemeanor count of failing to comply with California Highway Patrol rules regarding hours of service for drivers, according to Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The trial, which began last week, is scheduled to continue Tuesday in a courtroom on the second floor of the San Fernando Superior Court building.

A crash killed Connie Wu Li, 33; Flora Kuang, 33; Jayden Li, 5; Lucas Li, 3; Sky Ng, 4; and Venus Ng, 2, when they were in a minivan from Daly City that ended up partially blocking the right lane near Gorman School Road on June 28, 2016, prosecutors said shortly after the incident.

When the tractor-trailer Lopez was driving crashed into the van, it erupted in flames and went down an embankment, they said at that time.

The commercial truck driver had not rested the legally mandated 10 hours after allegedly driving for more than 15 hours, according to the criminal complaint.

On Friday, jurors heard testimony from a California Highway Patrol officer who said he tried, without success, to extinguish the vehicle fire.

They also heard from a truck driver who swerved to avoid hitting the minivan and who dialed 911 to report the incident.

If convicted as charged, Lopez faces a possible maximum sentence of six years in jail, Santiago said at the time charges were filed.

Two others were injured when the semitruck crashed into the minivan.