Adam Santiago-Hernandez, age 34, of 3 Dana Drive, Apt. 8, Hudson

NASHUA – An apparent “near collision” between two cars in an apartment complex parking lot over the weekend sparked a violent confrontation, during which police said one man fired 13 shots and another allegedly stood over a man threatening to kill him with a machete.

“I could kill you right now. This is your free pass,” one of the suspects allegedly told one of the victims while allegedly tapping the victim’s leg with the machete.

The alleged victim, one of four police said were involved in the incident with the two suspects, had fallen to the ground as he tried to run to safety, according to police.

Arrested in connection with the incident were Julio Santiago-Hernandez, 37, of 123 W. Hollis St., Apt. 1, and his brother, Adam Santiago-Hernandez, 34, of 3 Dana Drive, Apt. 8, Hudson, police said.

Julio is charged with four counts of attempt to commit first-degree assault with a firearm, which are classified as special felonies; along with one count each of falsifying physical evidence and reckless conduct – deadly weapon, both Class B felonies.

Julio Santiago-Hernandez, age 37, of 123 West Hollis St., Apt. 1, Nashua

Adam faces one count each of convicted felons and criminal threatening with a deadly weapon, Class B felonies, and one count each of criminal mischief and simple assault, Class A misdemeanors, police said.

The convicted felons charge accuses Adam Santiago-Hernandez of possessing a deadly weapon as a convicted felon, which stems from his felony assault conviction in 2011.

The men were arrested Sunday, a day after police were called to 12 Marshall St., one of several buildings in the recently constructed Marshall Street Apartments complex.

They were held in jail pending arraignment, which was scheduled for Tuesday, due to the Monday holiday. Prosecutors recommended both be held on preventive detention. The judge’s order on bail hadn’t been filed as of Tuesday afternoon.

Police said officers who responded to 12 Marshall St. around 5:30 Saturday evening determined from witnesses that a number of shots had been fired, and that a man had brandished a machete and allegedly used it to smash out the windows of a car that four other men had been sitting in.

That suspect was later identified as Adam Santiago-Hernandez, police said, while his brother Julio was identified as the suspect who allegedly fired the handgun. Police said detectives investigating the incident recovered 13 shell casings from the parking lot.

They also located several “bullet strikes” on the alleged victims’ car, along with the smashed out windows.

During questioning leading up to and after their arrests, Julio Santiago-Hernandez allegedly “admitted his involvement” in the incident, but told detectives that while his brother, Adam, was present, he “did not get involved,” according to police.

The alleged victim who was driving the vehicle involved in the “near collision” earlier in the day told police he had gotten into a physical altercation with two men following the near miss, and that he was struck by one of them, police said.

He told police he called three friends he was with earlier and asked them to meet him at 12 Marshall St., according to the reports. The three went inside with the alleged victim, who located and spoke to one of the men allegedly involved in the parking lot incident.

The four left minutes later, but as they got into the alleged victim’s car, the man, later identified as Julio Santiago-Hernandez, “came out, walked toward the car and began firing,” according to statements to police.

At that point, Julio’s brother Adam got out of another car parked in the lot, allegedly in possession of a machete. He allegedly smashed the car’s windows, and then allegedly threatened to kill the alleged victim while he lay on the ground.

Julio Santiago-Hernandez, according to police, told detectives that after the altercation over the near collision he “fired about 10 rounds to ‘scare'” the four alleged victims.

He said he then drove toward Hudson, and when he got to the bridge he threw the firearm into the river because “he was nervous of what was going to happen,” police said.

The machete, meanwhile, was located by an officer in a parking lot in Manchester, police said.

Police ask that anyone with any additional information on the incident to contact the department’s Crime Line at 589-1665.

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Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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