Police tracked down Santana by a thumb print on a rum bottle found in the wrecked car.
CHICOPEE - State police arrested 30-year-old Hernan J. Santana on Friday in connection with an April 1 accident in Springfield in which a stolen car fleeing police crashed into a van on St. James Avenue in Springfield, officials said.
State Police spokesman David Procopio said state police investigators tracked down Santana through forensic evidence, specifically a fingerprint found on a rum bottle found inside the wrecked Honda Accord that Santana abandoned after the accident.
Santana was arrested Friday morning in the presence of his lawyer. State police and the lawyer had been communicating with each other about Santana turning himself in since Wednesday when he learned that authorities were looking for him, Procopio said.
He was charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, two counts of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, driving after license revocation, speeding, two counts of failure to stop for police, and vandalizing property.
Procopio said the thumb print matched prints on file for Santana. Troopers contacted the owner of the stolen car who said there was not a bottle in the car when it was stolen on Firglade Street in Springfield one day before the accident.
Police also found traces of blood, hair and skin on the windshield of the car, which corroborated witness statements that the man fleeing the accident had a bloody face, Procopio said. During the investigation, they learned that Santana was seen days after the accident wearing a hat to conceal a large cut over his eye.
A state police trooper began chasing the Honda April 1 at about 9:30 p.m. on Martha Street in Chicopee after learning the vehicle had been reported stolen. He eluded one trooper but was spotted again minutes later on St. James Avenue in Chicopee. As the trooper turned to begin pursuing him, the Honda crashed into a van at St. James Avenue and Princeton Street.
Two occupants of the van suffered minor injuries in the accident.
The case was investigated by troopers assigned to the Hampden County State Police Detective Unit and the Crime Scene Services Section.