A Clifton NJ man has been charged with death by auto after allegedly striking and killing a woman who was trying to get into the back seat of a parked car in northern New Jersey.
Clifton police suspect that 26-year-old Robert Santiago was drunk when he crashed his vehicle into the parked car. The accident occurred around 2:15 AM on Rutherford Boulevard
The victim, a 47-year-old Clifton woman, was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time later.
Although Mr. Santiago was not hurt in the crash, authorities said that his car was “completely mangled.”
In New Jersey, death by auto is one of the most serious criminal charges. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:11-5, death by auto can be charged as a first degree felony. If convicted of first degree death by auto, Mr. Santiago could be sentenced to as many as 20 years in New Jersey State Prison.
Even a first offense DWI charge can result in severe penalties, including jail time. If Mr. Santiago is convicted of first offense DWI, he may face up to 30 days in jail and loss of his driver’s license.
The day after the accident, Mr. Santiago remained in custody at the Passaic County Jail in Paterson.
For more information, see the NJ.com article entitled “Clifton Woman Killed by Suspected Drunken Driver While Getting Into Parked Car.”
