Nearly 18 months after the hit-and-run death of 39-year-old Juan Lopez, the driver who fled the scene has been sentenced to two years in state prison.
Brock Alexander Hoffman, 57, was sentenced on Tuesday, December 16, by Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Stephen Foley. The sentence follows Hoffman’s no-contest plea last month to one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death or serious permanent injury.
“The defendant was held accountable in this case due to the outstanding work, dedication, and collaboration between the Santa Barbara Police Department and the prosecution team led by Deputy District Attorney Michelle Mossembekker,” said District Attorney John Savrnoch in a press release issued Wednesday morning. “The pain associated with this tragic loss of life was exacerbated by the defendant’s criminal decision to leave the scene without contacting the authorities or attempting to render aid.”
The fatal collision occurred on June 29, 2024, just before midnight, near the intersection of Cliff Drive and Loma Alta. Lopez was crossing the street when Hoffman, driving a 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser, struck him. Hoffman did not call 9-1-1 and left the scene. Lopez died on impact, according to testimony from law enforcement.
Hoffman turned himself in to the Santa Barbara Police Department on July 4, five days after the crash, and was later charged in September 2024.
He remained out of custody until Tuesday’s sentencing, when he was remanded and taken into custody to begin serving his term.
At sentencing, Judge Foley heard victim impact statements from Lopez’s family. They described the emotional toll of his absence and the pain of the prolonged legal process.
For Christina Godinez, Lopez’s longtime partner and the mother of his children, the sentence brings a measure of closure — though not peace.
“I’m glad he went to prison,” Godinez said in a statement to the Independent. She said she is frustrated with California’s sentencing laws, particularly the disparity between DUI and hit-and-run penalties. “I think Brock lacked accountability.”
Godinez said she has been marking the time since Lopez’s death.
“It has been 536 days since he was killed,” she said. “I have been counting.”
Lopez was 39 years old at the time of his death. His family has described him as devoted to his children and deeply rooted in the Santa Barbara community.
In addition to the criminal case, a civil wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Lopez’s family remains active. The suit, originally filed in July 2024, names Hoffman as a defendant and was later amended to include the City of Santa Barbara, alleging the city failed to address known safety issues along Cliff Drive. Both Hoffman and the city have denied liability.
A case management conference in the civil matter is scheduled for January 26, 2026.
