Fiery crash follows brutal Easter slaying

Man, accused of killing girlfriend, hits fire station while fleeing, police say

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

by Andrew P. Moisan

Staff Writer

A man who crashed his sport-utility vehicle into a Gaithersburg fire station early Easter morning has been accused of killing his 27-year-old girlfriend after they fought earlier, county police say.

Jorge Contreras, 29, of the unit block of Harbor Tree Court in Gaithersburg, was still recovering Tuesday from injuries he suffered after his Jeep crashed into the Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Volunteer Fire Department Station, at Muncaster Mill and Shady Grove roads, about 5:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities say.

A man driving nearby at the time saw the crash and pulled Contreras from the burning wreck before police and rescue crews arrived.

Police later obtained an arrest warrant charging Contreras with first-degree murder after finding his girlfriend, Angela Santiago, dead at the same Harbor Tree Court address about 20 minutes after the crash.

Police, who will serve the warrant when Contreras is released from the hospital, said Tuesday that the state medical examiner’s office in Baltimore had found that Santiago had suffered ‘‘multiple sharp-forced injuries” that involved ‘‘stabbing and slicing,” according to Lt. Eric Burnett, a county police spokesman.

Further details, such as what weapons may have been used, were unavailable.

Authorities say Contreras fled after the fight and then crashed the Jeep, which was damaged after it slammed into a bay door at the fire station and hit an ambulance inside, damaging it enough to prevent it from being used to respond to his rescue.

After the crash, fire authorities say Contreras knocked on the fire station’s door. He then got back in the Jeep and drove toward Muncaster Mill Road, crossing a grassy area, hitting a tree and eventually veering off the road before smashing into a concrete drainage culvert where the vehicle burst into flames, according to a statement from the county fire and rescue service.

At the time of the second crash, which occurred off the northeast corner of the intersection, Hugh Bailey, 36, of Gaithersburg, was on his way to sing in choir at an early-morning church service.

Bailey, who is a candidate for County Council, called 911 after seeing the crash, but noticing that Contreras was still inside and appeared injured as the flames intensified, went to the wreck and pulled him to safety.

‘‘The flames were extremely hot,” Bailey said. ‘‘I’ve always admired the men and women of fire and rescue, now I have a whole new respect for them ... that’s a scary position to be in.”

Contreras was taken to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

Staff Writer Janel Davis contributed to this article.