CRANFORD, N.J – The families of two teenage girls killed in what police say was a deliberate crash in Cranford are speaking out, calling the tragedy “first-degree murder” and accusing the 17-year-old driver of plotting the attack for months.
Isabella Salas and Maria Niotis, both 17 and students at Cranford High School, were riding an e-bike Monday evening when an SUV slammed into them on Burnside Avenue around 5:30 p.m. Both girls later died of their injuries.
On Wednesday, their families released a joint statement condemning the driver, describing him as “a coward of a man” who had been targeting Maria. “This was not an e-bike accident, and it was not a hit-and-run. This was murder in the first degree,” the statement said.
Police confirmed the driver, a 17-year-old from Garwood and a relative of Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro, has been charged with two counts of murder. Battiloro emphasized that the teen is not part of his immediate family.
Vigils and memorials have sprung up across Cranford as the community mourns. Isabella, remembered for her love of music and theater, was active in school choirs and community theater. Maria, who worked at a local café, dreamed of pursuing a cosmetology career.
Funeral services for both girls are scheduled later this week.