For Immediate Release
Contact: Scott J. Croteau 508-368-7228 or 774-418-5706
WORCESTER – A Worcester man and woman were indicted on charges in connection with a fatal Shrewsbury crash, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.
Jerry Santiago, Jr., 25, was indicted by a Worcester County Grand Jury Friday on charges of motor vehicle homicide, motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, leaving the scene of a personal injury crash resulting in death, driving as to endanger and driving a motor vehicle without a license.
An indictment for accessory after the fact was also handed up by the Grand Jury against 22-year-old Justina Riopelle.
Both will be arraigned in Worcester Superior Court at a later date.
Shrewsbury Police and State Police Detectives assigned to the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office responded to a report of a hit and run crash on Oct. 30, 2022 on Route 9 in Shrewsbury.
The crash resulted in the death of Ghufran Mutar, 20, of Shrewsbury. Ms. Mutar was crossing Route 9 at the South Street intersection just after 10 p.m. on her way home from work at CVS when she was struck. She was brought to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester where she later died of her injuries.
Police began searching for the suspect vehicle, identified as a Dodge Journey, after it left the scene of the crash. On Monday, Oct. 31, 2022, Westborough Police located the suspected vehicle involved, which had sustained visible damage to the front passenger side of the vehicle.
Santiago was originally arraigned in Westborough District Court on Nov. 2, 2022, and he remains in custody after bail was set then at $50,000.