Crime & Safety
Driver Charged In High Speed Crash That Killed South Jersey Boy, 13: Prosecutor
The 13-year-old died in May when a car hit him while walking home from a park; the 71-year-old driver was charged Tuesday, officials said.
EGG HARBOR TWP., NJ — The driver responsible for a May 2025 crash that killed a local 13-year-old boy has now been charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office announced Tuesday.
Two children were walking home from Bargaintown Park on May 17, 2025 when a car veered into the grass shoulder to avoid colliding with another car, police previously said.
The car, driven by 71-year-old Egg Harbor Township resident Gary Battisti, crashed into the two juveniles. Read more: 2 Hit When Car Swerved To Avoid Crash In South Jersey: Police
Find out what's happening in Gallowayfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A 13-year-old boy from Pleasantville was pronounced dead at the hospital from injuries received in the crash, authorities said.
Read more: New Jersey Community Remembers 13-Year-Old Killed In Crash In Egg Harbor Township
Find out what's happening in Gallowayfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Further investigation revealed that Battisti was traveling at "an excessive speed" at the time of the crash, according to the prosecutor's office.
Battisti was charged on Aug. 26, officials said.
This fatal crash investigation was a cooperative effort by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office’s Crash Investigations Unit and the Egg Harbor Township Police Department.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
