Clay, N.Y. — A man charged in a fatal hit-and-run was with the victim of the crash that night, according to the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office.
Madison Faltisco, 22, of Liverpool, was killed when she was hit by a vehicle as she walked along Oswego Road Thursday night.
Deputies have determined that Joshua Schiano, 23, and Faltisco were together Thursday night before the crash, said Tom Newton, a spokesperson for the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. The pair knew each other, he said.
The two were co-workers at Smokey Bones in Clay, a friend of Faltisco’s told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard.
Later Thursday night, Faltisco is seen on video walking along the shoulder of Oswego Road, Newton said. It’s not known yet why she was walking along the road, he said.
Around 10:40 p.m., Schiano was driving a vehicle that hit Faltisco near the Seneca Savings branch at 7799 Oswego Rd., Sheriff Toby Shelley said Friday. Schiano left the scene of the accident, officials said.
Minutes later, Schiano got into another accident when his vehicle hit poles that held up a sign for the Salvation Army thrift store at 7595 Oswego Rd. That’s less than a mile from where Faltisco was hit.
The second crash caused Schiano’s car to burst into flames, Newton said.
After the crash, Schiano was taken to a hospital but was in police custody under suspicion of driving while intoxicated, Newton said. Schiano did not sustain serious injuries, deputies said.
Schiano never told deputies that he hit someone Thursday night, Newton said. Deputies did not know to look for Faltisco, he said.
Around 5 a.m. Friday, someone called 911 to report they found an unconscious woman along Oswego Road. Faltisco, of Liverpool, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Halana Sieber, one of Faltisco’s friends and co-workers, said she received three calls from Faltisco’s phone shortly before the hit-and-run. She said she received two calls at 10:36 p.m. and another at 10:37 p.m., but she didn’t answer them.
Sieber said Faltisco had contacted her around 9 p.m. She said Faltisco was at a bar with Schiano and she asked if she wanted to come hang out. She didn’t come but offered them a ride later. Faltisco declined.
Faltisco was sweet and outgoing, Sieber said. A “girl’s girl,” Faltisco liked going to the mall and getting her nails done, she said.
Schiano, of Clay, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal vehicle accident, Newton said.
Schiano was arraigned Friday night. A judge set bail at $500,000 bond or $250,000 cash, according to jail records. He is in jail as of Saturday afternoon.
Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com.