An Allentown man is charged with striking and killing a pedestrian on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike early New Year’s Day as the victim helped a tow truck load a disabled vehicle.

Luis Fargas Carrion, 27, is charged in the death of Luis Carlo, 32, of Bethlehem.

State police said troopers were called at 3:27 a.m. Jan. 1 to a fatal crash on I-476 northbound at mile marker 76.2 in Franklin Township.

Police found Carlo dead at the scene after he was hit on the right shoulder of the highway. Police said three vehicles were stopped along the shoulder: a red Mazda 3 with a flat tire, a Dodge Ram 5500 rollback tow truck that had arrived to tow it and a gray Toyota Camry parked behind them.

Police said Fargas Carrion was driving a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee northbound in the left lane when the vehicle suddenly swerved across the roadway and onto the shoulder, striking Carlo as he stood outside the Camry assisting with the tow.

After impact, police said, Carlo was thrown and the Jeep overturned.

Carbon County Deputy Coroner Jason Nicholas pronounced Carlo dead at the scene.

Trooper Pasquale Russo said that he spoke with Fargas Carrion, who was in the back of an ambulance, and noticed the odor of alcohol and his bloodshot, glassy eyes. Fargas Carrion told troopers he had been drinking hours earlier at a Philadelphia nightclub, police said.

Fargas Carrion told police he was traveling in the left lane and tried to merge right, but said another vehicle would not let him in. He told police he did not remember what happened after that, according to the affidavit.

Police later conducted field sobriety tests at St. Luke’s Carbon Hospital and said they observed signs of impairment. A preliminary breath test also showed the presence of alcohol, police said.

Fargas Carrion initially refused a blood draw, but police later obtained a search warrant. Blood was drawn at about 9:10 a.m. Jan. 1, and testing later showed a blood-alcohol content of 0.09%, police said.

Two witnesses told police they were standing near the Camry when they saw the Jeep abruptly swerve from the left lane across the right lane and onto the shoulder. One witness said she tried to warn Carlo and jumped out of the way, while another said he pushed her out of the way just before the Jeep struck Carlo.

Fargas Carrion is charged with homicide by vehicle while DUI; aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI; DUI, involuntary manslaughter; reckless driving; and related offenses.

He is free after posting 10% of $100,000 bail and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing May 21 before District Judge William J. Kissner in Palmerton.