Officer struck pedestrian then drove home with victim's body

Becky1951

Becky1951

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A New Jersey police officer faces a slew of charges after allegedly striking a pedestrian on a parkway, leaving the scene and then taking the victim's body to his home.

Newark Police Officer Louis Santiago, 25, has been charged with reckless homicide, desecrating human remains and other related charges after striking a pedestrian on the Garden State Parkway, according to a statement Thursday from Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II.

On Nov. 1 around 3 a.m., Santiago allegedly struck the victim with a 2005 Honda Accord he was driving and did not call 911. Instead, he allegedly left the scene of the accident, came back to the scene, placed the victim in his car and then at some point returned to the scene with the victim's dead body.

Santiago allegedly took the body of the victim, Damian Z. Dymka, a 29-year-old nurse from Garfield in Bergen County, New Jersey, to his home in Bloomfield where he discussed with his mother what to do with the body, according to the prosecutor's statement.

Police discovered the victim in the back seat of the car after Santiago's father, a lieutenant with the Newark Police Department, called 911 to report that his son had been in an accident, according to the prosecutor's statement.

Also facing charges are Albert Guzman, 25, of Newark, who was allegedly a passenger in the car at the time, and Santiago's mother, Annette Santiago, 53, of Bloomfield, according to the statement. Both are charged with conspiracy to desecrate human remains, hindering apprehension, and conspiracy to hinder apprehension and tamper with physical evidence.

Santiago has additional charges the statement says, including leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, endangering an injured victim, desecrating/moving human remains, hindering one’s own apprehension, conspiracy to hinder prosecution, tampering with physical evidence, obstructing the administration of law, and two counts of official misconduct.

According to the statement, all three were arrested, charged and released with conditions.

Officer struck pedestrian then drove home with victim's body: Prosecutor - ABC News (ampproject.org)
 

The officer was probably driving drunk & knew he could delay being tested for DUI until he registered below the legal limit.
He also knows nothing much will happen to him because he's a police officer.

A similar incident: Even worse - the victim spent 2 days bleeding to death while stuck in the windshield. The driver checked on him every few hours & he begged her to call 911.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Gregory_Glenn_Biggs
 
There was a police department in Mass I think it was that had police applicant interview question that asked what the applicant would do if they caught another cop driving drunk. The correct answer was NOT arrest.

This pos got caught. Think about drunk driving police that get away or cut loose because they are a cop.0
 

I think Santiago's age, 25, might have had something to do with his behavior-not as an excuse, but as a reason. I think we are putting cops on the street with only the minimum of "on the job training," and a bit of classwork. These cops have to deal with whack jobs, idiots, criminals, mentally challenged, and a host of other critters Plus they have to do it legally, without bias, and professionally. I just don't think sitting next to another cop for a few weeks adequately prepares new cops for what's instore for them. Obviously, Santiago's judgment is suspect, but what's scary he was a cop on the street. Your life could have been in his hands.
 
WhatInThe said:
There was a police department in Mass I think it was that had police applicant interview question that asked what the applicant would do if they caught another cop driving drunk. The correct answer was NOT arrest.

This pos got caught. Think about drunk driving police that get away or cut loose because they are a cop.0
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Why not? If Ted Kennedy can get away with driving drunk & killing his teen-age mistress 'cuz he was a Kennedy.........
 
oldpop said:
Evidently he wasn't thinking. I do not condone his behavior and I am not making excuses for him but he may have been in shock. Kind of sounds like it.
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Yes, intentionally committing a crime can be stressful & lead to shock - the worry about being charged, etc.
Actress Halle Berry tried that one after she sped down a neighborhood street (probably also drunk) & slammed into a car, severely injuring a mother & her young daughter, then fled the scene. She claimed the accident caused Amnesia & she had no memory of anything, that's why she fled. But she somehow remembered where she lived, how to drive home & call her attorney. :ROFLMAO:
 
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fuzzybuddy said:
I think Santiago's age, 25, might have had something to do with his behavior-not as an excuse, but as a reason. I think we are putting cops on the street with only the minimum of "on the job training," and a bit of classwork. These cops have to deal with whack jobs, idiots, criminals, mentally challenged, and a host of other critters Plus they have to do it legally, without bias, and professionally. I just don't think sitting next to another cop for a few weeks adequately prepares new cops for what's instore for them. Obviously, Santiago's judgment is suspect, but what's scary he was a cop on the street. Your life could have been in his hands.
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He has been an adult for 7 years.
 
win231 said:
The officer was probably driving drunk & knew he could delay being tested for DUI until he registered below the legal limit.
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Sounds like he might have been drunk, or just panicked and trying to protect his job.

win231 said:
He also knows nothing much will happen to him because he's a police officer.
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Maybe in some rural podunk PD but in general the cop will face the charges just like everyone else, plus never work as a cop again.
 
Nathan said:
Sounds like he might have been drunk, or just panicked and trying to protect his job.


Maybe in some rural podunk PD but in general the cop will face the charges just like everyone else, plus never work as a cop again.
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^^^^ As far from the truth as can be.
This cop is in one of the largest police departments, killed a bicyclist while texting his buddies & was never charged. Instead, the city paid the family 11 million: (And, the cop initially blamed the cyclist. He claimed the cyclist "swerved into the traffic lane." An investigation proved that the cop swerved into the bicycle lane while he was texting.

https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-milton-charges-deputy-20140828-story.html

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/fa...l-car-reaches-12m-settlement-with-l-a-county/
 
win231 said:
^^^^ As far from the truth as can be.
This cop is in one of the largest police departments, killed a bicyclist while texting his buddies & was never charged. Instead, the city paid the family 11 million: (And, the cop initially blamed the cyclist. He claimed the cyclist "swerved into the traffic lane." An investigation proved that the cop swerved into the bicycle lane while he was texting.

https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-milton-charges-deputy-20140828-story.html

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/family-of-cyclist-fatally-struck-by-sheriffs-deputy-who-was-texting-while-driving-patrol-car-reaches-12m-settlement-with-l-a-county/
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Lol, please @win231 never pass up the opportunity to argue with and contradict someone on the internet. 😜

"^^^^ As far from the truth as can be." So you think you have some exclusive inside knowledge of the truth? Well that is "as far from the truth

as can be." Go ahead and post all the links you can cherry-pick off the internet, if I didn't know that it would be a complete waste of my time,

I'd spend the rest of the day searching for articles to counter yours.

@win231, perhaps you have a good reason to view cops negatively(I'm not judging), but I know cops..I've worked with more cops than most cops have.

The average cop can expect to get a severe reprimand if they get a speeding ticket, a DUI with fatality will send a cop to prison, which is Hell-on-Earth for a cop.
 
Nathan said:
Lol, please @win231 never pass up the opportunity to argue with and contradict someone on the internet. 😜

"^^^^ As far from the truth as can be." So you think you have some exclusive inside knowledge of the truth? Well that is "as far from the truth

as can be." Go ahead and post all the links you can cherry-pick off the internet, if I didn't know that it would be a complete waste of my time,

I'd spend the rest of the day searching for articles to counter yours.

@win231, perhaps you have a good reason to view cops negatively(I'm not judging), but I know cops..I've worked with more cops than most cops have.

The average cop can expect to get a severe reprimand if they get a speeding ticket, a DUI with fatality will send a cop to prison, which is Hell-on-Earth for a cop.
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Yes, how dare anyone disagree with Chief Nathan. 😂
The nerve of anyone proving him wrong! 😂
Uh....."Prison is hell-on-earth for a cop?" No, it isn't. Cops are kept away from the general prison population. They are safer & more protected than the rest of us on the outside. And prison sentences are much shorter for cops (if & when they are convicted). And parole is earlier for cops. (Luckily for Dirtbag Derek Chauvin, who will enjoy many more years of freedom than the person he murdered.)
Remember, Denial is not just a river in Egypt.
 
win231 said:
Yes, how dare anyone disagree with Chief Nathan. 😂
The nerve of anyone proving him wrong! 😂
Uh....."Prison is hell-on-earth for a cop?" No, it isn't. Cops are kept away from the general prison population. They are safer & more protected than the rest of us on the outside. And prison sentences are much shorter for cops (if & when they are convicted). And parole is earlier for cops. (Luckily for Dirtbag Derek Chauvin, who will enjoy many more years of freedom than the person he murdered.)
Remember, Denial is not just a river in Egypt.
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Brother @win123, You are just not getting it! I got no problem with those who D-I-S-A-G-R-E-E with me, everyone is entitled to their own O-P-I-N-I-O-N.
It is when people want to express their opinion as fact, that is when my BS detection radar starts beeping! (someone mentioned Pedants)

Yes, cops in prison are held in protective custody housing units...so are child molesters, and I should say that cops and child molesters are considered to be the lowest form of garbage, in the eyes of the General Population inmates. In California prisons the protective custody housing is called SNY, meaning special Needs Yard. You can get your face slashed, or get shanked in the Special Needs Yard.
Remember, Denial is not just a river in Egypt.
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Not to worry, every time you post a reply, the term "denial" is written all over it.
 
Nathan said:
Brother @win123, You are just not getting it! I got no problem with those who D-I-S-A-G-R-E-E with me, everyone is entitled to their own O-P-I-N-I-O-N.
It is when people want to express their opinion as fact, that is when my BS detection radar starts beeping! (someone mentioned Pedants)

Yes, cops in prison are held in protective custody housing units...so are child molesters, and I should say that cops and child molesters are considered to be the lowest form of garbage, in the eyes of the General Population inmates. In California prisons the protective custody housing is called SNY, meaning special Needs Yard. You can get your face slashed, or get shanked in the Special Needs Yard.

Not to worry, every time you post a reply, the term "denial" is written all over it.
Click to expand...
Cops who have taken an oath to uphold the law & instead, use their power & authority to commit crimes & exercise their racism ARE the lowest forms of garbage.
 
oldpop said:
Evidently he wasn't thinking. I do not condone his behavior and I am not making excuses for him but he may have been in shock. Kind of sounds like it.
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He was drunk and trying to cover his a*s. They say crime makes ya stupid. Was his mother in shock too? C'mon....it seems the father was the only one who had sense. The strange thing about this is it seems so close to home...because I've been to all those places mentioned and none are too far from where I live plus I've driven the GS Parkway countless times.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
He was drunk and trying to cover his a*s. They say crime makes ya stupid. Was his mother in shock too? C'mon....it seems the father was the only one who had sense. The strange thing about this is it seems so close to home...because I've been to all those places mentioned and none are too far from where I live plus I've driven the GS Parkway countless times.
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Just an FYI. Replies on situations like this from me are just ideas. I commit to none of them. You certainly may be right. I respect everyone's opinion including yours and enjoy them all. Some may even change my opinion. That is what attracts me to forums like this. They are a wealth of knowledge and varying opinions....:)
 

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