Abdul-Lateef faces death charge in Waterbury hit-and-run
Surveillance footage from multiple sources identified a Subaru Crosstrek involved in the July 25 collision that killed a moped rider.
By Lily Carter ·
Police in Waterbury arrested a local woman last month after surveillance footage identified her vehicle in a fatal July hit-and-run. Ayesha Abdul-Lateef, 47, faces charges of evading responsibility resulting in death and failure to yield while turning left.
The incident occurred at the intersection of Meriden and Southmayd roads around 2:07 a.m. on July 25. Emergency responders found 27-year-old Luis Santana lying in the middle of the roadway, unresponsive and bleeding from the head. Although Santana was conscious initially, he lost consciousness and stopped breathing. Firefighters performed CPR and other life-saving measures before he was pronounced deceased at Saint Mary’s Hospital.
Investigators located a heavily damaged 2025 Zhilong Tank-200 moped near the body. Witnesses reported seeing a dark-colored vehicle with front-end damage leave the scene heading south on Southmayd Road. Debris at the scene included a windshield fluid reservoir that police determined belonged to a Subaru Outback or Crosstrek.
The suspect vehicle was a blue 2023 Subaru Crosstrek found outside a home on Southmayd Road. The warrant notes the car had heavy damage to the front end and windshield consistent with striking a moped. Abdul-Lateef was the primary owner of the vehicle and had a registered address on Westport Drive.
When officers contacted Abdul-Lateef at her residence, she stated she absolutely knew why they were there. She refused to speak with police and claimed to have retained an attorney.
The investigation relied on footage from a Meriden Road business showing a vehicle matching the Subaru’s description driving south at 2:03 a.m. on July 25. Employees and patrons in the video reacted to an event on the road immediately after the vehicle exited the frame. A neighbor on Westport Drive provided home camera footage showing a woman resembling Abdul-Lateef entering the Subaru around 9 p.m. on July 24. The same camera later recorded an unknown figure walking toward the residence around 3 a.m. on July 25.
City-owned cameras captured the vehicle’s path on the night of the crash. The car traveled west on Union Street, turned right onto Brass Mill Drive, and proceeded north through East Main Street and Welton Street. It later traveled south on Wall Street, turned left onto Taylor Street, and then left onto East Main Street again. The vehicle continued northeast to JC Hooks Cafe shortly before 10 p.m. on July 24.
Footage from the cafe showed Abdul-Lateef exiting the Subaru and re-entering around 2:03 a.m. on July 25. She was the only person seen entering the vehicle before it departed. The car then traveled southwest on Meriden Road and turned left onto Southmayd Road. A camera captured Santana’s moped traveling northeast on Meriden Road at the same time. The video clearly depicted the Subaru making contact with the moped during the turn, despite poor quality and blurriness.
Investigators also obtained cellphone records placing Abdul-Lateef’s phone near the crash site around the time of the collision. Court records indicate she was released on a $100,000 professional surety bond after her Oct. 7 arrest and arraignment. A plea hearing is scheduled for Nov. 10.
