BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — More than a decade after a hit-and-run DUI crash killed Kern High School District Police Chief Steven Alvidrez, the man convicted in the case was sentenced on Thursday to 15 years to life in prison, according to Kern County court records.
David Lopez Lilly was convicted in January after pleading no contest.
A man has been indicted of killing a Kern High School District police chief in 2011 in a hit-and-run. PHOTO: KCSO, CHP
The case dates to June 17, 2011, when Alvidrez was riding a motorcycle on Highway 99 near Pond Road at about 11:30 p.m. Alvidrez and his wife, who was a passenger, were traveling north to visit family in Visalia.
At the same time, Lilly was also headed north and was “swerving all over the road,” prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Lilly was heavily intoxicated and driving 90 to 100 miles per hour when he approached the motorcycle and rear-ended it.
Both Alvidrez and his wife were thrown from the motorcycle. Alvidrez was killed, and his wife suffered significant injuries.
Prosecutors said Lilly fled the scene, went to a family member’s home, and immediately began repairing front-end damage to his vehicle.
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About six weeks later, investigators with the California Highway Patrol determined Lilly’s involvement, but by then, he had fled to Mexico. Authorities said he remained a fugitive for 13 years until his capture on Jan. 15, 2025.
Between January and June 2024, investigators obtained new information indicating Lilly was living near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Authorities coordinated with FBI agents in Guadalajara and apprehended Lilly on Jan. 15, 2025. Mexican immigration officials escorted him from Puerto Vallarta to Los Angeles International Airport, where CHP took him into custody.
David Lopez Lilly, a man indicted for the alleged murder of a Kern High School District police chief in 2011, was in court Friday afternoon for his arraignment. PHOTO: KBAK/KBFX
CHP said Lilly had two prior DUI convictions, which led to murder charges after he was indicted by the Kern County Grand Jury. Believing Lilly fled to Mexico to avoid arrest, CHP sought assistance from the FBI, resulting in a federal warrant for Lilly’s arrest on charges of Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution.
District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said at the time of Lilly’s conviction: “Lilly evaded accountability for far too long, but thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement who sought his whereabouts for more than a decade, the Alvidrez family can finally receive the justice they have long deserved. Although handling a case of this age is complex, the District Attorney’s Office was committed to fighting for Chief Alvidrez with the same dedication he showed to his community.”