NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A 17-year-old boy was charged Wednesday in the murders of two 17-year-old girls in a hit-and-run in Union County, New Jersey, on Monday.
The teen, who is from Garwood and hasn’t been identified, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the crash on Monday evening in Cranford. Investigators believe he deliberately struck them.
Best friends Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas were riding on an e-bike on Burnside Avenue around 5:30 p.m. when the driver of a Jeep SUV struck them and fled the scene, according to officials and reports. They both died at area hospitals.
The boy was taken into custody by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office and Cranford Police Department.
A memorial to the two girls was growing Wednesday, with friends, family and total strangers stopping by to pray and place flowers.
Some neighbors on Burnside Avenue believe he may have been stalking one of the teen girls, though authorities haven’t gone into details about the case or a potential motive.
Anyone with any information asked to contact the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force Detective Alex Lanza at (908) 370-4318 or Cranford Police Det. Jason D’Agostino at (908) 276-0171.