- Two women, Mariana Elizabeth Valverde Beltran and Maria Isabel DeLosAngeles Salgado Ayala, were killed by a hit-and-run driver in Newark.
- The women were crossing the intersection after leaving a World Cup watch party when they were struck.
- Driver David J. Zapata-Vera, 26, surrendered to police days later and faces multiple charges including vehicular homicide.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY — Five months after a New Jersey woman received probation for a crash that killed two men, another fatal traffic case in the state has left two families grieving. This time, two women were killed in Newark after a driver allegedly struck them in a crosswalk and fled the scene.
Mariana Elizabeth Valverde Beltran, 58, of Elizabeth, and Maria Isabel DeLosAngeles Salgado Ayala, 61, of Newark, were crossing the intersection of Park Avenue and North 7th Street on Saturday, June 20, when they were hit by a vehicle.
Authorities said both women were taken to University Hospital, where they were later pronounced dead.
Crash Caught on Surveillance Video
Surveillance footage from the area showed the two women walking through the intersection moments before a red vehicle came through and struck them.
The impact sent both women into the air before the driver continued away from the scene. Witnesses said the crash happened as the traffic light was changing.
One witness told WABC that the driver appeared to speed up instead of slowing down. Another described the stretch of Park Avenue as dangerous and said drivers often rush through nearby intersections.
First responders from a firehouse located near the crash scene rushed over to help the victims after the collision.
Friends Were Walking Home
According to local reports, the two women had just left a World Cup watch party before the crash. They were walking home when they were struck in the crosswalk.
Relatives said Beltran had moved to the United States from Ecuador about three years earlier. Her cousin, Jeffrey Chacon, described her as someone with a contagious laugh who was often around family on weekends.
He also said relatives were left trying to contact family members in Ecuador, including Beltran’s sisters and son, to tell them what happened.
The deaths have shaken people in the neighborhood, especially those who say speeding has been a long-running problem along Park Avenue.
Suspect Surrenders Days Later
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office identified the suspect as 26-year-old David J. Zapata-Vera of Newark.
Authorities said Zapata-Vera surrendered to police on Tuesday, June 23, three days after the crash.
He has been charged 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.
Prosecutors said he is accused of striking both women while they were in the crosswalk before leaving the scene.
The charges remain accusations. Zapata-Vera is presumed innocent unless he enters a guilty plea or is found guilty in court.
Families Left Grieving
The crash has left the victims’ families trying to process a sudden loss.
Chacon said the person responsible would have to live with what happened for the rest of his life. He said the tragedy would remain on that person’s conscience.
Beltran’s relatives were also dealing with the difficult task of notifying family members outside the United States. For those who knew the women, the crash turned what should have been a normal walk home into a devastating loss.
Residents in the area said the intersection has raised safety concerns before. Some said they wait even after lights change because drivers often speed through.
As the case moves forward, investigators are still asking anyone with information to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Tips Line.
For more cases involving deadly hit-and-runs, reckless drivers, and fatal crashes caught on camera, check out our video here:
