NEWARK, NJ – A Newark man is behind bars after surrendering to police following a horrific weekend hit-and-run crash that claimed the lives of two local women.
Tragic Intersection Collision
The victims, Mariana Elizabeth Valverde Beltran, 58, and Maria Isabel DeLosAngeles Salgado Ayala, 61, were walking home from a World Cup watch party on Saturday. As they crossed the intersection at Park Avenue and North 7th Street, a vehicle barreled into them.
Both women were rushed to University Hospital Newark, where they were tragically pronounced dead.
Surveillance Captures Arrested Suspect
Street surveillance footage captured the harrowing moment the driver accelerated through the crosswalk just as the traffic light was changing.
Following a three-day manhunt, 26-year-old David J. Zapata-Vera of Newark surrendered to authorities on Tuesday.
Severe Charges Filed
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has filed multiple serious charges against Zapata-Vera, including:
- Two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide
- Two counts of second-degree leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death
- Two counts of third-degree endangering an injured victim
Jail records show that Zapata-Vera is currently being held at the Essex County Jail without bond.
Community In Mourning
The sudden loss has devastated the families of both victims. Relatives shared that they are currently working to contact extended family members overseas in Ecuador to deliver the tragic news.
The investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash remains ongoing by local detectives.
