Vincent Battiloro: Teen Charged With Murder in Cranford Hit-and-Run That Killed Two High School Students
On Monday, September 29, 2025, a hit-and-run happened in Cranford, New Jersey and tragically, it resulted in the deaths of two 17-year-old girls.
The chilling incident has also led to serious charges for a 17-year-old boy from a neighboring town.
The teen has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Cranford High School students Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas.
The Union County Prosecutor’s Office stated that the deadly crash was intentional and not an accident, which is why the charges being filed.
According to police reports, the sad incident happened at approximately 5:26 p.m. on Burnside Avenue, in Cranford.
The victims were riding a single e-bike when they were struck by a 2021 black Jeep Compass, as per Fox News.
At the time of the crash, police say the Jeep was driving at 70 mph, which is three times over the street’s speed limit of 25 mph.
The force of the collision was too much that it reportedly dragged the bike underneath the vehicle before the driver fled the scene on foot.
Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas were rushed to a nearby hospital, where both were pronounced dead.
“I had only seen one girl. And then I walked down the street a little bit and I saw the other girl. Just horrible,” one resident recounted.
“Nothing in the world is more horrible than what I saw yesterday. I have kids, you know, and so no family should have to go through this,” they added.
The SUV was later recovered by the police a short distance away, and the suspect was eventually tracked down and detained.
After he was questioned, he was initially released because the case was first investigated as an accident.
But the families of the victims disagreed with the accident theory and insisted that the girls were targeted.
“It is now vital that the truth be shared: this was not an e-bike accident, and it was not a hit-and-run. This was murder in the first degree,” said the family in a powerful statement they shared.
They also described the suspect as “a coward of a man, who had been plotting this attack against Maria for months.”
After further investigation revealed that the crash was likely intentional, the suspect was formally arrested on October 1, 2025 and charged with murder.
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The 17-year-old suspect is currently in custody, and because of his age, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office has not officially released his name.
However, MyCentralJersey News reports that the suspect is 17-year-old Vincent Battiloro. The outlet says it identified him after they reportedly reviewed 15 traffic tickets linked to the crash, such as reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
According to friends, family, and neighbors, one of the victims, Maria Niotis, had been allegedly harassed by the suspect for months. They claim he had been stalking her, both online and in person.
“He’s been parked outside her house for three months now. He was never stopped,” a neighbor told reporters.
Family friend Tammy Carbajal confirmed the family had sought help, but nothing was done.
"She made complaints and nothing was done. It’s just a tragedy. It’s just a tragedy," Carbajal told newsmen.
Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro was initially linked to the suspect after some speculations that the teen was his son. However, the chief clarified that he is not the suspect’s father, though they are related, and he has distanced himself from the teen’s alleged actions.
“While social media has made it known that the accused is related to me, he is not my son and not a member of my immediate family,” Chief Battiloro wrote.
“I want to be clear... that in NO WAY do my wife, children or I condone, defend or excuse the actions that caused this terrible and tragic loss of life,” he added.
The community has rallied around the grieving families. A growing memorial of flowers, balloons, and candles marks the site of the crash on Burnside Avenue. A candlelight vigil was held to honor Maria and Isabella, remembered as beautiful and charismatic young women.
Prosecutors are now faced with a key decision on whether to charge the teen as an adult in Criminal Court, where a first-degree murder conviction in New Jersey carries a sentence of 30 years to life in prison.
A municipal court hearing for the traffic violations is set for October 29, 2025.
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