ALLENTOWN — An Allentown man has been charged in the July 31 crash on MacArthur Road that killed a motorcycle rider who authorities say was racing with the accused's cycle, and a passenger in a Jeep the cycle hit, authorities said Thursday.
Christian Joel Gonzalez Santiago, 27, faces counts of Accidents Involving Death or Personal Injury, a second-degree felony, as well as two counts each of homicide by vehicle, one count of accidents involving death or personal injury while not properly licensed, all third-degree felonies, and other charges.
- The Lehigh County D.A.’s office announced a slew of charges related to a fatal crash in July
- Christian Joel Gonzalez Santiago, 27 is in police custody and was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon
- The D.A.’s office said charges are related to street racing. They include homicide by vehicle, accidents involving death, and about a dozen others
Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin announced the charges at a news conference.
“I hope that we can arrest others who have engaged in similar reckless conduct and prosecute them,” Martin said. “We have to put an end to this.”
Martin was joined at the conference by Whitehall Police Chief Michael Marks. Marks’ department did not immediately respond to a request for details on how often motorcycle racing causes injuries or death in the township.
Martin said the crash happened at 6:45 p.m. at MacArthur and Mechanicsville Roads as they cycles were going 80 mph, which is double the posted limit of 40 mph. That was picked up on a street surveillance system, he said.
The crash killed Mia G. Due, 16, a passenger in the 2017 Jeep Renegade, and Jose Estrada-Estrada, 42, driver of the second motorcycle. Both are from Reading and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Lehigh County Coroner ruled their deaths to be accidental, from blunt force trauma.
The crash involved a 2017 Jeep Renegade driven by a 17-year-old juvenile and a motorcycle driven by 42-year-old Jose Estrada-Estrada of Reading.
The Jeep driver, whom authorities did not identify, apparently was not injured.
"We have to put an end to this."Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin
The district attorney’s office said the accused was the driver of the second motorcycle racing next to Estrada-Estrada.
In the moments before the crash, the video footage showed Gonzalez-Santiago’s motorcycle
Speeding directly adjacent to Estrada-Estrada’s left side. Both motorcycles appeared to be engaged in an “exhibition of speed or acceleration,” or racing on highways, authorities said.
As the crash occurred, Gonzalez Santiago’s motorcycle continued traveling south on MacArthur Road.
Gonzalez Santiago drove around the crash and into the surrounding area and crowd. The video surveillance also showed after the crash that Gonzalez Santiago returned to the scene of the crash and helped others push the Jeep upright onto its wheels.
He also is spotted another time returning to the crash scene consoling a woman identified as the significant other of Estrada-Estrada.
Santiago is set to be arraigned this afternoon.
He also faces charges of recklessly endangering another person; a misdemeanor of the second degree; and related charges of reckless driving, driving at unsafe speeds, not being properly licensed, not having protective headgear for motorcycle riders and careless driving resulting in unintentional death.
Martin said he knew of no involvement by the drivers accused in the crash of being involved in a club or “gang” related to racing. But he said some from that motorcycle community appeared to have conducted a memorial for the deceased the next night. Martin said that event was attended by “dozens” of motorcyclists.
"I'm not usually in the business of sending messages," Martin said at the news conference, then warned of the dangers in which street racing can result.
“One of the things that occurs is there’s somewhat of a philosophy out there that police, if they pursue these people, they’re endangering the public,” Martin said. “But I would make the point that it’s obvious from this instance that the public has already been endangered in this situation, and we have to put an end to this.
“This cost the life of a 17-year-old girl, and one of the racers themselves.”
