• BichHuyen
• October 27, 2026

Grieving Mothers Face Teen Accused of 𝘬iᩚlling Their Daughters in E-Bike 𝔠r𝘢sh

Two grieving New Jersey mothers came face-to-face with the teenager accused of 𝘬iᩚlling their daughters as he appeared in court for the first time in person, more than a year after the fatal collision.

Vincent Battiloro, now 18, pleaded not guilty on October 26, 2026, to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas, both 17-year-old high school students and best friends from Cranford, New Jersey.

The girls were riding an electric bike on a residential street on September 29, 2025, when they were struck by a Jeep Compass. Both died from their injuries. Battiloro was 17 at the time of the collision and was initially charged as a juvenile before the case moved to adult court.

Prosecutors allege that the collision was deliberate. They claim Battiloro had been stalking Niotis and drove toward the girls at approximately 70 mph in a 25 mph zone. The families have also alleged that Niotis had experienced unwanted attention from the teenager before the 𝔠r𝘢sh. Authorities have not publicly confirmed a motive, and these allegations have yet to be tested at trial.

During Monday’s hearing in Union County, the mothers attended wearing shirts bearing their daughters’ names and photographs. Their grief was visible as they watched the defendant in the courtroom.

Outside court, the families renewed their calls for accountability and greater transparency about how the case was handled. They have asked New Jersey’s attorney general to investigate police interactions with Battiloro and his family before and after the collision. They have also raised questions about the availability of body-camera footage and the circumstances surrounding the initial response.

Battiloro’s defense attorney entered the not-guilty plea on his behalf and indicated that the defense may pursue a diminished-capacity argument and seek a change of venue. The next hearing is scheduled for December 14.

If convicted, Battiloro could face life imprisonment. For now, he remains accused of the killings, and the case will proceed through the court system.

For the families of Maria and Isabella, the hearing marked another painful step in a long fight for answers. They continue to seek justice for two teenagers whose lives ended while they were out riding together.

Source: DAILYMAIL