Citra man arrested for fatal hit-and-run on October 1, 2023

Staff report

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Donterrio Oriental Johnson, 27, of Citra, was arrested yesterday and charged with failing to stop at a fatal crash after a Florida Highway Patrol investigation determined that he was the driver of a gray Ford Mustang that hit and killed a man and then left the scene of the crash on U.S. Hwy 441 near SW 104th Avenue on October 1, 2023.

At about 3:44 a.m. on October 1, Omar Ramon Santiago was reportedly driving a Chevrolet Silverado northbound on U.S. Hwy 441 when he veered left, crossing the grass center median and the southbound lanes and colliding with a tree on the far shoulder. The victim got out of his truck and walked into the outside southbound lane, where he was hit and killed.

Witnesses at the scene reportedly told a Trooper that they saw the Mustang driving southbound on U.S. Hwy 441 and heard a loud “bang.” They turned around and parked on SW 104th Avenue while calling 911. They said the Mustang stopped in the roadway, and they said the driver got out, used a cell phone flashlight to inspect the injuries to the pedestrian and the damage to the Mustang, got back in the driver’s seat, and continued driving southbound.

Debris that was found in the area of the crash belonged to a 2015-2023 Ford Mustang, and the front right “skirting” of the car was left at the scene. Troopers searched law enforcement databases for a matching vehicle in southern Alachua County and northern Alachua County and found multiple possible suspect vehicles.

Troopers canvassed the addresses of the vehicles and found a gray 2015 Ford Mustang at Johnson’s address in Citra that was missing the front right “skirting.” The trooper made contact with Johnson at his residence, and Johnson reportedly said he owned the Mustang and had driven through the area of the crash early that morning.

Another witness told a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper that he had been with Johnson in downtown Gainesville earlier that night and had seen Johnson get into the driver’s seat of the Mustang at about 3 a.m. He said Johnson was the only occupant of the Mustang and that he said he was driving home to Citra.

Post Miranda, Johnson reportedly said he had been driving the Mustang at the time of the crash and that he was the sole occupant of the vehicle; he also admitted that the vehicle had an expired registration and no insurance coverage and that he was driving with a revoked license. He reportedly said he saw Santiago’s crashed truck and saw debris in the roadway, then he collided with “something” in the roadway, got out of his car, saw the victim’s body and the damage to his car, and decided against staying to render aid or call law enforcement because of his revoked license.

Troopers obtained a warrant to search his vehicle, and reddish brown stains were found on the Mustang that matched the victim’s DNA.

After all the tests came back, a warrant for Johnson’s arrest was issued on October 11 with charges of leaving the scene of a fatal accident and driving with a suspended license as a habitual traffic offender, and he has now been arrested. He has one felony conviction (non-violent) and one misdemeanor conviction (non-violent). Judge Adam Lee set bail at $125,000, the amount set in the warrant issued by Judge David Kreider.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.