Driver's family claims he's partially paralyzed and didn't notice that he hit bicyclist

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- David Lopez walks out of a house with no electricity and no running water every morning to go about his day. He told ABC13 that the circumstances are difficult but weren't unbearable because his brother Jimmy Lopez was always by his side.

That is until March 1, the day his 62-year-old brother was run over by a car and killed.

"I miss my brother," David said with tears welling up in his eyes. "I want to wake up and see him come out the door, and I don't see him."

"(Jimmy) was a nice guy. He never bothered nobody. He worked and everything. He never did anything to nobody," the 58-year-old said.

The brothers lived in the home that their parents first owned. Hurricane Harvey ravaged it, so now it has a vacate notice on the front door. But David said he doesn't see any of that.

He is focused on the day Jimmy rode his bike toward his sister's home nearby for breakfast, but he never got there.

Just a block away from his destination, in the 10800 block of Foy Street, Jimmy was hit by a car and died on the street.

Police said the 65-year-old driver, Arthur Alvarez, who also lives nearby, did not stop. Instead, he drove home with Jimmy's bike still wedged underneath his 2002 Lincoln Navigator.

READ MORE: Driver finds bicycle stuck under car after hit-and-run crash that killed cyclist, Houston police say

"Yes, he should be charged. He should go to prison and everything because that's wrong what he did," David said.

Alvarez was arrested a day or two later and charged with failure to stop and render aid. He is out on bond.

Eyewitness News went to his home, outfitted with a wheelchair ramp with a home health aide present, and knocked on the door.

Alvarez's wife answered, at first indicating her husband may be willing to talk. A few minutes later, another family member arrived and declined our request.

The relative told ABC13 off-camera that Alvarez had suffered a stroke in recent years and was partially paralyzed. She explained that he thought he just had a flat tire and drove home.

ABC13 could not verify the health issues the relative said Alvarez suffers from. His court-appointed attorney also refused to comment at this time.

However, David said just because Alvarez is an older driver doesn't mean he shouldn't be held responsible for leaving the scene of a crash.

"To leave him in the middle of the road right there and leave? And right there in the middle of the street, and drag the bike back to his house. No, that's not right," David said.

Alvarez has his next court date in June. Jimmy will be laid to rest on Thursday.

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