Castelli

DECATUR Ill. (WAND) — Police say a Decatur man admitted to striking a woman with the door of his vehicle during a deadly hit-and-run on Oct. 30. 

Christopher R. Castelli, 32, was arrested Tuesday on preliminary charges of reckless homicide, leaving the scene of an accident causing death and failure to give information or render aid. 

According to a sworn affidavit of Castelli's arrest, he told officers that he picked up 27-year-old Alisha Gordon in his vehicle.

He said they got into an altercation which ultimately ended with him striking Gordon with the door as he backed up, the affidavit said. 

Gordon's body was found Friday evening at the intersection of Kent Avenue and Dolphin Court in the Park City mobile home community. She was pronounced dead at the scene. 

A witness told police that he heard squealing tires and believed that he saw a vehicle strike someone in a silver or cream colored sedan. He then ran to the scene and found Gordon's body in the intersection, the affidavit said. 

The incident was also captured on surveillance footage, showing a sedan stopping on Kent Avenue and a front seat passenger attempting to get out. 

Gordon was later identified as the passenger, according to the affidavit. 

After she got out the vehicle, the driver accelerated in reverse and knocked her to the ground with the open door before running her over.

The footage then showed the vehicle driving away from the scene "at a high rate of speed" without calling 911 or speaking to police, the affidavit said. 

Decatur police's subsequent investigation led police to Castelli after finding Facebook messages between him and Gordon.

Police said the profile Castelli used to send the messages had recently been deleted. Castelli admitted to officers that he deleted the account after the hit-and-run occurred.

He also admitted to washing off the passenger side of his vehicle and changing the tire. When Castelli gave officers permission to search his vehicle, the statement said, blood was found in the passenger side wheel well. 

Castelli remained in the Macon County Jail Wednesday afternoon. His bond is set at $250,000.Â