Here’s how police found a vehicle believed to be involved in a fatal Shrewsbury hit-and-run

A broken part led police to the suspected vehicle — and its driver — allegedly involved in an Oct. 29 fatal hit-and-run in Shrewsbury, according to court documents. 

Jerry Santiago Jr., 24, was arraigned in Westborough District Court Wednesday on charges of leaving the scene of personal injury resulting in death and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Santiago is accused of striking and killing Ghufran Mutar, 20, on Route 9 Saturday night.

Westborough police found the vehicle, a Dodge Journey SUV with visible damage, officials said. 

Court documents obtained by MassLive reference security footage from Wagner Mercedez Benz of Shrewsbury that depicts a heavily damaged car pulling into the parking lot shortly after the hit-and-run took place. In the footage, a heavy-set male assesses the car’s damage, and removes a part of the vehicle, discarding it in the parking lot.

Investigators later discovered that same discarded car part in the dealership’s parking lot, MassLive reported. A part number identified that the vehicle piece matched a Dodge Journey.

On Monday, Westborough police officers located a gray 2011 Dodge Journey with matching damage parked in a hotel parking lot, police said.

The owner of the vehicle was identified as Tara Riopelle, the mother of Santiago’s girlfriend, Justina, who is also visible in the security footage. When interviewed by Shrewsbury police, Justina Riopelle told investigators that she and Santiago knew they struck a person at the time of the crash and discarded items in the car dealership parking lot, MassLive reported.

Santiago is being held on $50,000 cash bail., and is due back in court Nov. 30.

Want to leave a comment?

Create an Account Or sign in to your account

To comment, please create a screen name in your profile

To comment, please verify your email address

Conversation

This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com