Thread: Officials: Man flees fatal crash

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Officials: Man flees fatal crash

Saturday, October 01, 2005
By DAVID FERRARA
Staff Reporter

A 20-year-old man was ordered held without bond Friday, accused of fleeing the scene of a fiery crash in Summerdale that left one passenger dead.

Roman Vella Santiago -- an illegal immigrant from Mexico, authorities said -- slammed a green 1996 Ford Ranger into a tree late Thursday night just north of Baldwin County 32, near the intersection with Baldwin County 55.

Santiago had been driving the Ford north on Baldwin County 55 when it sped through the three-way intersection at Baldwin 32 and hit several signs and struck the tree at 11:40 p.m. Thursday, according to Cpl. Spencer Collier, a spokesman for Alabama State Troopers.

Santiago walked away from the wreck. Two hours later, he flagged down Foley police officers and told them that he had been car-jacked by three men, and his female passenger was still in the truck, Collier said.

Collier would not say how troopers connected Santiago to the crash.

Because the truck was so badly burned, authorities had initially thought that the victim was the driver.

"It took us a little while to figure out that this lady wasn't the only one in the vehicle," said Baldwin County Deputy Coroner Stan Vinson.

The woman's body was burned beyond recognition, and authorities were still waiting on a positive identification as of Friday afternoon, according to Vinson. The woman was identified only as an immigrant from Veracruz, Mexico. She and Santiago were not related, authorities said.

Santiago was charged with manslaughter and felony leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.

Baldwin County Chief Assistant District Attorney Judy Newcomb said Santiago likely would be tried here, but authorities would have to contact the Mexican consulate.

Baldwin County Circuit Court Judge James H. Reid denied bond for Santiago.

This seems to be a daily occurence Honestly, when are we going to wake up?