New Jersey Teen Accused of Killing Two Girls in Hit-and-Run Will Face Adult Murder Charges

What Happened

On September 29, 2025, at approximately 5:26 p.m., two 17-year-old girls — Isabella Salas and Maria Niotis — were riding an electric bike in Cranford, New Jersey, when they were allegedly struck by a vehicle. Both were transported to local hospitals and pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

The driver was Vincent Battiloro, then 17, of Garwood. According to the Union County Prosecutor's Office, he was detained for questioning after the incident and then released to his father. Police records previously obtained by Fox News Digital through a public records request show that Battiloro's father contacted law enforcement after the crash. Two days later, on October 1, 2025, Battiloro was arrested.

Adult Court Waiver

On Friday, June 27, 2026, the Union County Prosecutor's Office announced that Battiloro's case had been waived from juvenile court to adult court. He now faces two counts of first-degree murder and multiple traffic offenses in the Criminal Part of Superior Court in Union County, according to the office's public information officer, Lauren Farinas.

Because Battiloro was a minor at the time of the alleged crimes, his identity had been legally protected under New Jersey's juvenile confidentiality rules. The transfer to adult court removed that protection, allowing prosecutors to publicly name him for the first time.

Battiloro is now 18.

The Charges: Murder, Not Just Reckless Driving

The decision to charge a hit-and-run driver with first-degree murder rather than vehicular homicide is significant. New Jersey first-degree murder carries a sentencing range of 30 years to life. To sustain that charge, prosecutors will need to establish that Battiloro acted with purpose or knowledge that his conduct would cause death — a far higher bar than recklessness or negligence.

The Union County Prosecutor's Office has not publicly detailed in these reports what specific evidence supports the murder theory over a lesser charge. That distinction will be central to any trial.

The Families

Maria Niotis's mother, Foulla Niotis, gave an exclusive interview to Fox News Digital in which she urged prosecutors to try Battiloro as an adult. That request has now been granted. Fox News Digital has covered this case extensively, including publishing 911 call audio and police reports obtained through public records requests.

The Strongest Case for Caution

A reasonable concern on Battiloro's side: adult prosecution of a 17-year-old is not automatic in New Jersey, and juvenile courts exist specifically because the legal system recognizes that adolescent brain development affects judgment and culpability. The waiver process is designed to be reserved for the most serious offenses and offenders. Critics of automatic adult transfers argue that trying teenagers as adults statistically correlates with higher recidivism, not lower. A jury will ultimately decide whether the facts support first-degree murder or a lesser offense. Battiloro has not been convicted of anything. These are charges.

Prosecutors cleared the legal hurdle required for the waiver, meaning a judge found sufficient basis to conclude the adult system is the appropriate venue. The charge level will be tested at trial.

What Comes Next

Battiloro's case is now pending in the Criminal Part of Superior Court in Union County. No trial date has been publicly announced. The prosecution's ability to sustain first-degree murder charges — rather than see them reduced to aggravated manslaughter or vehicular homicide — will hinge on what evidence they present about Battiloro's state of mind at the time of the crash.