In a tragic incident, a young woman was fatally hit by a vehicle in Clay, Upstate New York. The suspected driver was a colleague with whom she had been drinking earlier in the night and had declined his offer for a ride home, according to law enforcement officials.
The victim, 22-year-old Madison Faltisco, had been enjoying an evening out with her colleague in the town of Clay. Later that night, around 10:30 p.m., she decided to walk home instead of accompanying her coworker in his car.
The young woman had barely crossed an intersection on Oswego Street when 23-year-old Joshua Schiano allegedly struck her with his vehicle. After hitting her, he continued driving without stopping.
In a shocking development, barely two minutes after the alleged hit-and-run, Schiano was involved in another accident less than a mile down the road. He crashed into a store sign and various objects near a Salvation Army thrift store.
His vehicle set on fire, and he was extricated by a bystander prior to police arrival. Schiano was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, though exact blood alcohol test results were not specified in the complaint.
Despite the severity of the accidents, Schiano did not disclose that he had hit someone earlier.
Through interviews with Faltisco’s acquaintances, detectives ascertained that she had declined a ride from Schiano earlier in the evening. Newton identified the two as coworkers.
A passerby discovered Faltisco’s body at around 5 a.m. the following day, over six hours after she was hit.
The Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office has charged Schiano with second-degree manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, all serious felonies. Additional charges may follow.
Schiano pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and is being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center. A court date will be scheduled following a grand jury review of the case.
In the wake of the tragedy, Faltisco’s family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to cover her burial expenses.