18-year-old to face insanity defense in Cranford case carrying 30-year to life range

An attorney for the 18-year-old Garwood man accused of driving into two 17-year-old girls in Cranford said he will argue an insanity defense at trial.

Vincent Battiloro is charged with murder in the deaths of Maria Niotis and Isabella Salas, who were riding an e-bike along a Cranford road when, prosecutors say, Battiloro drove his Jeep directly at them. He appeared Monday in Elizabeth for arraignment, his first court appearance since the Union County prosecutor decided to try him as an adult. A conviction as an adult could result in a sentence of 30 years to life. Battiloro remains housed in the Union County jail.

After the hearing, Mary Salas, mother of Isabella, addressed reporters in tears. "They were 17 years old, about to graduate high school. They were inseparable. The world lost two rays of sunshine that day," she said.

Attorneys for relatives of both girls gathered on the Union County Courthouse steps and called for an immediate state Attorney General's Office investigation into whether the Cranford Police Department failed the families. They also demanded immediate release of body camera video from the police investigation into the stalking and the crash. "The Niotis family was begging for help on multiple occasions. They're going to the police department and they're begging for help. What happens? Nothing," said attorney Brett Bramnick. Attorney Cory Rothbort said, "They were crying out for help for their daughter, for the safety of their community. Somewhere along the way they were failed."

Maria Niotis's mother has said Battiloro stalked her daughter for months before the incident. After his arrest, Battiloro told police he had been carjacked; the prosecution has disputed that account and says Battiloro recorded the events on dashcam video. Battiloro's attorney said he will file a motion to move any trial out of Union County.

Battiloro's attorney said his client's mental capacity was diminished. He is held in the Union County jail.