SAUGUS, Mass. -- A Saugus high school student accused of hitting and killing a woman with his car after drinking on prom night is “not a monster,” his friends said Monday.

Jonathan Caruso, 18, was charged in Lynn District Court with motor vehicle homicide by reckless operation, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, and being a minor transporting alcohol. He was ordered held on $7,500 bail.

“He’s not a monster. Everyone is making him out to be a monster,” Caruso’s prom date Courtney Faysal said.

Police said the high school senior struck and killed Carol Marean, 67, about 7:30 a.m. Saturday as she walked her dog near the corner of Essex and Grove streets after he attended the Saugus High School prom festivities at the Danversport Yacht Club and aboard the Spirit of Boston cruise ship.

Police said Rosa Palomba, 18, was in the car with Caruso at the time of the crash. Saugus police Officer Matthew Donahue wrote in a report that Palomba was screaming, "We killed that person," "I just want to die," and added they needed to take responsibility for the crash.

Donahue said Caruso failed a field sobriety test at the crash scene.

His prom date said Caruso dropped her off at about 4:30 a.m. and that there was no drinking on the cruise ship.

“He dropped me off at home; he dropped somebody else off at home and everything was fine. I did not expect this whatsoever,” Faysal said.

Faysal said when Caruso dropped her off, he had not been drinking.

“I didn’t know he was drinking. I don’t know what happened. It’s a shame,” Faysal said.

But after the crash, Caruso told police that he drank about 10 beers.

“The officer detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from the defendant’s breath, and asked him if he had been drinking. He replied that he had had some beers. When asked how many beers, he said he was celebrating prom and drank about 10 beers earlier,” prosecutor Christina Ronan said.

Marean's daughter, Charlotte Marean, 42, remained hospitalized Monday with serious injuries.

If he posts bail, Caruso must surrender his license, has a curfew of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and will be fitted with an alcohol monitoring device.

“The thoughts and prayers of the defendant and his entire family are with the victims. At this time out of respect for them, we will not be commenting on the facts of this case,” defense attorney James McCall said.

Caruso will return to court on July 7.

“Jon is one of the sweetest kids and this is what happens when you drink and drive or whatever happened. I am really not sure. I’m not 100 percent sure because I was not there. But it could be anybody,” Faysal said.

“Jon is one the nicest kids in the school. He never did anything wrong. It is just a shock to all of us. He is one our best friends and it just kills me,” Lindsay Milito said.

Police said two other high school students in Caruso's car who allegedly fled the scene could also face charges.