NJ Cop Accused Of Being Drunk When He Fatally Hit Nurse With Car

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — New accusations have emerged against a New Jersey police officer who allegedly struck and killed a nurse with his car, then brought the body to his mother’s house, reports say.

According to an affidavit, Louis Santiago, 25, of Bloomfield, who works as a police officer in Newark, was allegedly drunk and on his cell phone when he hit Damian Z. Dymka, a 29-year-old nurse from Garfield, on the Garden State Parkway on Nov. 1.

Santiago failed to maintain his lane and traveled on the right shoulder of the highway, striking Dymka, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said.

Prosecutors alleged that after hitting Dymka, neither he or his passenger, Albert Guzman, 25, of Newark, tried to render aid to the nurse or call 911. Instead, they returned to the scene multiple times before Santiago loaded the victim into the Honda and took the body to his home in Bloomfield, where he, his mother and Guzman discussed what to do with it, authorities said.

Santiago's father, who is a lieutenant in the Newark Police Department, called 911 and reported that his son was in an accident. When the New Jersey State Police arrived, Dymka was found dead in the back seat of the car, prosecutors said.

Santiago, Guzman, and his mother, Annette Santiago, 53, of Bloomfield, were arrested, charged and released with conditions.

Louis Santiago has been charged with reckless vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of 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.

Guzman and Annette Santiago were charged with conspiracy to desecrate human remains, hindering apprehension, and conspiracy to hinder apprehension and tamper with physical evidence.

Santiago’s attorney, Patrick Toscano, said his client had consumed alcohol at a local tavern before the collision, but not to the point of intoxication, NJ.com reported. Toscano contended that Santiago accidentally hit Dymka, then – believing he was still alive – carried him to the car to get him help. Toscano also said investigators haven’t provided proof that the police officer was talking or texting at the time of the crash.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Guzman told Santiago’s mother that her son hit Dymka “while driving drunk.” When Annette Santiago saw the victim’s body in the back seat, she allegedly told her son to “put that body back where you hit it,” ABC New York reported.

Santiago has been suspended from his job as a police officer without pay, NorthJersey.com reported.

• See related article: NJ Cop Fatally Struck Nurse, Brought Body Home To Mom: Prosecutor

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