UPDATE: 'I hope he rots in hell,' victim's sister says of alleged hit-and-run driver who fled with her body in car

An Allentown man was arrested early Monday and charged in connection with an Airport Road hit-and-run crash that killed one woman and injured another, court records say.

Jose Antonio Santiago, 33, of the 800 block of West Chew Street, is charged with a felony count of accidents involving death or personal injury, a misdemeanor count of the same offense and a summary count of driving on roadways laned for traffic, records say.

Santiago was arraigned before District Judge Daniel Trexler and sent to Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $275,000 bail, records say. His preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled March 23.

Police reported that even though they found part of one victim's body inside his car, Santiago insisted that he didn't hit anyone. He told Pennsylvania State Police, "I would've stopped. I'm not a bad person," records say.

State police found the unattended car about 90 minutes after the crash and Santiago about two hours after that.

Santiago, who smelled of alcohol and had reddish "body matter" on his right pant leg, said he had a few alcoholic beverages at Stooges Bar in Allentown and was driving a friend home when the crash occurred, records say.

Police say Santiago was driving a silver 2003 Saab 9-5 on Airport Road shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday when he hit two women on Airport Road's eastern shoulder in the 1700 block near Airport Center Road, in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.

The vehicle struck 62-year-old Allentown resident Anna Lewis with such force that her body was severed at the waist, records say. The other pedestrian and Lewis' sister, Rosalie Carlo, 51, of Brooklyn, New York, suffered a broken wrist and other injuries in the crash.

Santiago did not stop after hitting the women and left behind his vehicle's right side mirror, the front grill, the right headlight, a portion of a window and other parts, records say. At 10:24 p.m. Sunday, a state trooper spotted a Saab with extensive front-end damage parked in the 1800 block of Cloverdale Road in Bethlehem.

The Saab was missing parts left behind at the crash scene and registered to Santiago, records say. Looking inside the vehicle, the trooper could see part of a body on the passenger-side floor, records say.

Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim subsequently "removed the upper portion of a body" from the Saab and confirmed it was Lewis, records say.

At about 12:30 a.m. Monday, Santiago approached a trooper on Cloverdale Road, identified himself and said he owned the damaged Saab, records say. Santiago told police, "I had looked on WFMZ News and seen there was a hit-and-run accident. I didn't hit anyone. I would've stopped. I'm not a bad person," records say.

Santiago also said, "I was just bringing my friend home and it all happened so fast, but I didn't hit anyone. If I did, I would've stopped," records say. Police then took Santiago into custody, and he declined to answer questions about the crash, according to records.

Authorities on Monday didn't say whether they suspect speed or alcohol played a role in the crash or provide more information about how a portion of Lewis' body ended up in Santiago's sedan. Records don't say if the suspect submitted to breath or blood tests for alcohol or other substances.

It's not clear from records why Santiago parked on Cloverdale Road and where he was before approaching police after they discovered his car. Records don't say whether Santiago was the vehicle's only occupant when the crash occurred or if he sustained any injuries.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Paul Bernardino III said the crash remains under investigation and declined to make additional comment. A Stooges' supervisor was not immediately available for comment Monday afternoon.

In addition to the coroner, state police were assisted by the county district attorney's office, Northampton Regional EMS and the Hanover Township Fire Department, a news release says.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the state police Bethlehem barracks at 610-861-2026

Reporter Sarah Cassi contributed to this report.

Precious Petty may be reached at ppetty@express-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @precpetty. Find Lehigh County news on Facebook.