Two women returning from a World Cup watch party in Newark were fatally struck in a marked crosswalk on June 20 around 11 p.m. The victims were identified as Mariana Elizabeth Valverde Beltran, 58, and Maria Isabel DeLosAngeles Salgado Ayala, 61, and later died at a local hospital. The suspected driver, 26-year-old David J. Zapata-Vera, surrendered on June 23 and faces multiple charges, including second-degree vehicular homicide and leaving the scene. Investigators say the driver allegedly fled and are continuing to probe the crash.
Two Women Fatally Struck in Newark Crosswalk After World Cup Watch Party; Suspect Surrenders
Credit: Eyewitness News ABC7NY/Youtube
Two women walking home from a World Cup watch party in Newark, New Jersey, were struck and killed in an alleged hit-and-run crash late on June 20, authorities said.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office identified the victims as Mariana Elizabeth Valverde Beltran, 58, and Maria Isabel DeLosAngeles Salgado Ayala, 61. Both were taken to a local hospital and later pronounced dead.
The collision occurred at about 11 p.m. while the women were in a marked crosswalk, prosecutors said. Witnesses told local media the impact sent both victims airborne.
On June 23 the suspected driver, 26-year-old David J. Zapata-Vera, surrendered to police. He has been charged by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office with two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide, two counts of second-degree leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death, and two counts of third-degree endangering an injured victim. It was not immediately clear whether he has entered a plea.
"The light was changing, this side was red, this side was yellow ... but anyway he put the gas, and that's what happens," witness Manuel Candelaria told ABC.
Authorities said the driver allegedly continued driving after the crash. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances of the collision and the suspected flight from the scene. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office released the victims' names and the charges as part of its public statement.
Community and legal next steps: Prosecutors will pursue the charges while investigators reconstruct the crash. Family members and community members have expressed shock and grief over the deaths.
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