OPELIKA, Ala. (WRBL) – An Auburn man has been arrested by Opelika police in connection with the deadly wrong-way crash that killed Dr. Malcolm Goodchild, a prominent Columbus surgeon, on Interstate 85 earlier this month.
On September 30, 2024, authorities arrested 41-year-old Armin Rubido Gomez Lopez of Auburn, Alabama, after he was discharged from Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital. Gomez Lopez has been charged with Reckless Murder stemming from the September 7 crash on Exit 62 on I-85.
According to investigators, Gomez Lopez was driving a Toyota 4Runner the wrong way on the northbound exit ramp when he collided head-on with a Tesla driven by Dr. Goodchild. The impact was so severe the Tesla caught fire, and Dr. Goodchild, 50, was airlifted to Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Dr. Goodchild’s wife was in the passenger seat, she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and has since been released.
Gomez Lopez, who sustained serious injuries in the crash, was hospitalized for several weeks before his arrest. He is now being held at the Lee County Detention Center, where he awaits an Aniah’s Law hearing, which will determine if he remains in custody without bail due to the serious nature of the allegations.