Teen charged with murder in hit-and-run that killed two friends on e-bike: Officials
A 17-year-old boy has been charged with murder in a hit-and-run crash that killed two friends while they were riding an e-bike in New Jersey, officials announced Wednesday.
The crash occurred Monday evening in Cranford, when the Union County Prosecutor's Office said a black 2021 Jeep Compass struck two girls while they were riding the e-bike on a residential street. They were transported to area hospitals, where they were pronounced dead, officials said.
The alleged driver, from nearby Garwood, was located later that day and taken into custody, officials said. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder following a "comprehensive and extensive investigation," the Union County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday.
“We would like to thank the members of the public for their assistance with this investigation as well as members of the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force and Cranford Police Department for their diligent work during this investigation," Union County Prosecutor William Daniel said in a statement.
The prosecutor's office had asked residents and anyone who was traveling in the area around the time of the crash to check any home surveillance or dash cameras for footage of the Jeep.
The prosecutor's office and Cranford police have not released the names or ages of the victims or additional details in the case. It is unclear if the suspect faces additional charges or will be tried as an adult.
A vigil for the friends held Tuesday night drew hundreds of mourners, ABC New York station WABC reported.
"I don't think any of us had a decent night's sleep because it could be our own," Cranford resident Brandi Schmidt told the station. "So, you put yourself in their shoes and you come out and you support."
Those who knew the girls remembered them as being sweet and compassionate.
Cranford officials expressed gratitude for the arrest in the "heartbreaking and senseless murders of two young women from our community."
"There are no words that can ease the sorrow of such a devastating loss and we ask that the privacy of the families be respected during this difficult time," the Cranford township committee, administration, police department and fire department said in a joint statement on Wednesday. "Now more than ever, we urge our community to come together -- with compassion and kindness -- as we honor the memory of these young women and care for one another through this difficult time."
The name of the suspect has not been released by local police or the prosecutor's office. Though the police chief in Westfield, New Jersey -- Christopher Battiloro -- confirmed that he is a relative of the suspect as well as a neighbor of one of the victims.
Battiloro said he is "shocked, stunned, and so overwhelmingly distressed beyond belief by the horrific loss of two young ladies," and that he condemns the 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," he said in a lengthy statement released Wednesday following the filing of charges and arrest. "I want to be clear, as loud and as firm as possible, 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."
