A New Jersey teenager accused of stalking and killing two girls was reportedly traveling at 70 mph when he collided with their e-bike, as indicated by court documents.
Seventeen-year-old Vincent Battiloro was allegedly exceeding the 25 mph speed limit nearly threefold when he crashed into Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas at around 5:30 p.m. on Monday, according to a ticket issued by Cranford police, as reported by MyCentralJersey.
Battiloro is charged with first-degree murder and has been accused by friends and family of persistently stalking Maria, allegedly sitting in a vehicle outside her home for months before the incident.
The 17-year-old suspect faced at least 15 traffic citations following the tragic events of Monday evening.
The extensive list of traffic violations noted by local media includes:
- Tickets for failing to present a driverâs license, registration, and insurance card.
- Leaving the scene of an accident involving injuries.
- Failure to report an accident.
- Failure to provide a license post-accident.
- Unsafe lane changes.
- Improper passing maneuvers.
- Careless and reckless driving.
- Abandoning a vehicle.
- Impediments to traffic flow.
- Obstructing other vehicles.
- Improper display of license plates.
- Speed violations.
While the Union County Prosecutorâs Office has withheld the identity of the accused due to ongoing juvenile court proceedings, the array of citations initially reported by NJ.com connects Battiloro to the incident.
The prosecutorâs office confirmed via email on Thursday that Battiloro is currently in custody, evaluating all legal options as the case progresses.
Given the gravity of the charges, the teen could potentially face trial as an adult.
Before his formal arrest, Battiloro bizarrely discussed the crash during a YouTube live streamâtypically focused on baseball and gaming. He offered condolences to the victims, labeled the situation a âtragic accident,â and expressed feeling bullied over âfalse allegations,â while frequently remarking that he should refrain from speaking.
Families of Maria and Isabella accused the teenager of orchestrating a premeditated attack against Maria over several months, deeming him a âcoward.â
Esteemed for her remarkable performance skills, Isabella was described as having the âvoice of an angel,” while Maria’s family shared her dreams of pursuing cosmetology after high school.
