Two teenage girls were mowed down and killed Monday in leafy Cranford, New Jersey, by a hit-and-run driver who had allegedly been stalking one of them.
The two 17-year-old Cranford High School students, Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas, were riding on an ebike together around 5:30 p.m. when a black 2021 Jeep with tinted windows rammed into them, according to authorities and local reports.
Both girls later died at the hospital.
A 17-year-old boy from Garwood — a small borough next door to Cranford — was arrested near the crash scene, and on Wednesday authorities said he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
He has not been named by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.
Loved ones told local TV outlets that the accused killer was stalking one of the girls, leading her to take out a restraining order against him.
“She made complaints and nothing was done,” friend Tammy Carbajal told CBS 2. “It’s just a tragedy. It’s just a tragedy.”
A neighbor told Fox 5 that the killer parked outside the girl’s house for three months leading up to the alleged murder.
“He was never stopped,” the neighbor said.
It’s unclear which girl was targeted by the driver.
A witness to the aftermath of the hit-and-run was sickened by the trail of destruction on the peaceful residential street, where the speed limit with 25 mph.
“I had only seen one girl. And then I walked down the street a little bit and I saw the other girl,” the resident told Fox 5.
“Just horrible. 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.”
Relatives of Niotis described as kind and fun while Salas was called “a joy to have around,” by a pal, according to CBS 2.
“She was an amazing singer,” friend Leah Davitt said.
