BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A city woman is facing multiple charges in connection with a hit-and-run that occurred on Industrial Drive in May.
According to court records, authorities on Monday charged Treiza Habib, 63, with a felony count of leaving an accident scene involving death or personal injury, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, failure to render aid and failing to report an accident.
Police sought witnesses to the crash after receiving multiple 911 calls on the night of May 15 reporting that a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle in the 2100 block of Industrial Drive.
The driver of the vehicle fled before authorities arrived, police said in a news release the following day, urging witnesses or those with information to come forward.
Investigators were able to locate the striking vehicle by tracking the victim's phone through his Apple iCloud account. Police discovered his phone lodged in the car’s windshield — still there when the car was recovered, police said.
According to the affidavit of probable cause:
Habib was driving a light blue 2012 Honda Accord westbound on Industrial Drive around 10:23 p.m. when she struck 46-year-old Yeison Ramon Emeterio, who was in the road.
The impact caused a large dent in the hood of the Honda and shattered the front windshield.
Habib left the scene without stopping to render aid or call 911 and continued driving nearly two miles to her workplace, B. Braun Medical Inc. in Allentown.
Surveillance footage captured Habib pulling into the parking lot of B.Braun just minutes after the first 911 call about a man found unconscious in the road.
Video showed Habib getting out of the car, inspecting the damage, then going inside to work.
Meanwhile, Bethlehem Police, fire and EMS responded and found Emeterio lying in the road with severe injuries. He was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg, where he required surgery and was admitted to the intensive care unit.
According to police, Habib later called her husband, Assem Habib, and her son, Maged Habib. Surveillance video shows both men arriving at B. Braun about 30 minutes after the crash in a Tesla Model 3. They are seen inspecting the damaged Honda before Assem Habib drives it away, with Maged following in the Tesla.
The Honda was later found parked in the grass behind the family’s home on Avon Road in an attempt to conceal the vehicle, police said.
Investigators located it by tracking Emeterio’s phone through his Apple iCloud account. They discovered his phone lodged near the damaged car’s windshield — still there when the car was recovered.
Habib and her family members went to the Bethlehem Police Department for questioning early the next morning.
According to police, Treiza Habib admitted she was driving the Honda when she struck what she described as a “black shape” in the road, panicked, and kept driving to work. She told officers she called her husband from work and stayed there until he and her son came to pick her up.
The criminal complaint was filed and an arrest warrant issued for Treiza Habib on Monday. She was arraigned and posted 10% of $50,000 bail, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for 10:15 a.m. July 14.
While named as co-defendants in the affidavit, court records were not available indicating either her husband or son had been charged for their alleged role in helping conceal the damaged vehicle.
