LABELLE, Fla — Wednesday was day two in the trial of Hector Santiago Jr., the man charged in the 2023 hit-and-run that killed 15-year-old Eduardo Escobedo on Case Road in LaBelle.
Fox 4’s Hendry County Community Correspondent Austin Schargorodski works in the area daily, so he was back inside the courtroom as witnesses took the stand and evidence stacked up.
Watch to see evidence and witness statements from inside the courtroom:
More than 60 pieces of evidence were presented, including security camera footage, photos of crashed car parts, cell phone tracking data, and black box recordings from the SUV. Prosecutors say Santiago was driving the white SUV that hit and killed Eduardo as he rode his bike, then drove off.
Investigators say the black box from the SUV showed the driver was going over 75 miles per hour, never braked, and was alone in the vehicle. Surveillance video from neighbors also showed Eduardo riding along Case Road, with the SUV speeding past shortly after.
Eduardo’s brother and other witnesses helped confirm timelines and details on the stand.
“We saw a boy riding his bike, he had his hands off the handlebars, as he was riding there was what looked to be a grey SUV behind him driving really fast,” one witness said.
“As I looked in the rearview mirror, I seen his bike get hit and sparks flying, and the car speed off,” another testified.
“I saw his shoes, his bike, and him lying on the floor,” a Eduardo’s brother recalled.
A neighbor who lives across from the Santiago residence also spoke about what he saw in the days after the crash. “I kinda noticed on the car, the angle it was parked, it was a white car and I could see black all over the front fender,” the neighbor said.
The neighbor told the court he called FHP after seeing the damage and said he’d seen Santiago driving that SUV before. But the defense argues no one can prove Santiago was behind the wheel during the crash, pointing out that three people in his household use the vehicle.
Santiago is facing three charges: vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a crash involving death, and driving with a revoked license involving a death.
The case is expected to resume Friday morning at 9, when the Clerk of Courts says a verdict could be reached.
