Driver fatally mows down teen girls he was allegedly stalking in NJ

Cranford community mourns teen girls killed in hit-and-run

On Tuesday night, more than 500 people gathered at a growing memorial on Burnside Avenue, where grief and outrage spilled into the open.

Cranford, NJ - A community in Cranford, New Jersey is reeling after a hit-and-run crash left two teenage girls dead, with some neighbors questioning whether they were targeted. 

The backstory:

The crash happened just after 5:30 p.m. Monday on Burnside Avenue, where the victims were riding an electronic bike when they were struck and killed.

Police say a black Jeep SUV struck two teens riding their bikes, dragging one of the bicycles underneath the car before the driver fled. 

The SUV became disabled a short distance away, where officers arrested the suspect.

Union County officials are seeking surveillance or dashcam footage of a 2021 black Jeep Compass SUV with tinted windows seen in the area of Hillcrest Avenue, Burnside Avenue, and Lincoln Avenue at the time of the crash.

Teen victims ID'd in Cranford hit-and-run

The victims have been identified by friends and neighbors as 17-year-olds Maria and Isabela, both students at Cranford High School, according to Mayor Terrence Curran.

Dig deeper:

At first, officials described the incident as a hit-and-run involving e-bikes. 

But residents on the block where the girls lived say the suspect had allegedly been stalking one of them for months both online and in person.

They say the suspect who they believe to also be 17 had been parking outside one of the girl's home, and, in their words, "never being stopped."

"He’s been parked outside her house for three months now. He was never stopped," one neighbor told FOX 5 NY’s Arthur Chi’en.

Another resident described seeing the aftermath, saying, "I had only seen one girl. And then I walked down the street a little bit and I saw the other girl. 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."

Local perspective:

Another, a mother of five, struggled to hold back tears: "We don't want to bury our children, our children. It's burying us. So we're here to support them no matter what. And I want them to know that we... Our condolences to all three families. Not just two but his parents too are going through a lot.

What's next:

The Union County Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation and confirmed the alleged driver has been in custody since Tuesday morning. 

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released his name. 

Friends of the victims’ families, however, say he may be related to a nearby police chief, an allegation prosecutors have not confirmed.

The investigation remains ongoing.

The Union County Prosecutor’s Office is asking the public for help as investigators probe a fatal crash in Cranford that killed the two teenage girls.

Anyone with information or video is urged to contact investigators at the Union County Prosecutor’s Office or Cranford Police Department. Anonymous tips may also be submitted online at www.uctip.org or by phone at 908-654-TIPS (8477), and could be eligible for a reward of up to $10,000.

A candlelight vigil for Maria and Isabela is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight in Cranford.