Summerdale, Ala. - (OBA) -  On Tuesday morning Mount Vernon Police Chief C. Duncan Herrington identified Officer Ivan Lopez as the officer killed in a crash on Hwy 59 south Monday evening.

“It is with a heavy heart that I as a Chief have to type this release. On August 22, 2022 Officer Ivan Lopez was ending his tour of duty and on his way home.  Tragically Officer Lopez was killed in a traffic collision. The Town of Mount Vernon and the Police Department are a very close knit group. We have lost one of our own. I would personally like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Chief Brock and all of the Summerdale Police Officers and First Responders. The care and concern these folks handled the scene with would have made all of our Law Enforcement Family proud. To Sheriff Mack and the Baldwin County SO thank you!  Sheriff Mack has been instrumental in coordinating the efforts to pay honor and respect to Officer Lopez and his family. I would also like to thank ALEA, Foley, Robertsdale, Mobile and the Mobile County SO. All of these agencies and more have already begun to assist Mount Vernon and Officer Lopez’s family. FBI Mobile and many other agencies in Mobile, Baldwin, Washington and Clarke Counties have reached out to offer assistance. Officer Lopez is a 12 year veteran of Law Enforcement and had found his niche in Mount Vernon. He loved the community and the community loved him. Officer Lopez will not be able to be replaced due to his efforts to make Mount Vernon Police Department better for our citizens. His love of people was evident and his heart of service was extraordinary!  Arrangements have not been made as of yet, but as soon as they are we will release them. As far as the traffic investigation is concerned I have full confidence in Chief Brock and the Summerdale Police Department. We are assisting Summerdale in anyway we can, but we will not be releasing any facts to the case as it is still under investigation by Summerdale and the Baldwin County DA’s office. I again want to thank the community and surrounding areas for their condolences, thoughts and prayers. We never heal from these situations, we simply have to learn a new way to live. Officer Lopez embodied what it meant to be a social service worker with a heart for people and animals. Therefore, if I could express anything positive out of this tragedy, it would be to learn from the example Officer Lopez set by his love of others.”