According to Floyd County Police Sgt. Chris Fincher, Edward Junior Lawrence, 39, of Armuchee, was taken into custody after causing a fatal crash Wednesday afternoon on Martha Berry Highway (27) near Rhinehart Equipment Co. in Floyd County. Hilda Lopez Santizo-Perez, 37, of Rome, a mother of six children, was killed in the crash. Her 3-year-old son escaped serious injury in the crash. Lawerence was booked into the Floyd County Jail, charged with felony homicide by vehicle, felony leaving the scene of an accident, and improper lane change. According to Floyd County Police Sgt. Fincher Lawrence was driving a 2008 Lincoln Town Car south in the right lane of Martha Berry Highway while Santizo-Perez was traveling in the left lane. Lawrence made an improper lane change, causing Santizo-Perez to lose control of her vehicle. Her 2006 Nissan Altima then veered across the northbound lanes. It was then struck on the passenger side by a 2020 Toyota 4-Runner driven by Charcia Baldwin. Both the child and Baldwin were transported to a local hospital. Santizo-Perez was transported to Atrium Health Floyd, where she was pronounced deceased.
Santizo-Perez’s husband said, “She was an amazing woman, a loving wife, and mother to her six children. She always cared and was sweet to everyone. It has been a shock to my family after her tragic death.”
Two funds have been established to help her family. One is at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 911 N. Broad St., Rome, 30162 (Hilda Lopez fund), and an online GoFundMe account at GoFund.me/f1a61d72.
