Belleville Man Charged With Killing Verona Woman, Injuring Her Brother In Crash

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ -- Authorities announced Tuesday that the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Anthony V. Casale, Jr., 25, of Belleville, with first degree death by auto in connection with the death of Megan E. Villanella, 34, of Verona.

Casale is also charged with second degree assault by auto and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia, according to a joint news release from Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Verona Police Chief Mitchell Stern.

In addition, Casale was also issued traffic summonses for driving while under the influence, driving while under the influence within 1,000 feet of a school, careless driving, reckless driving and failure to maintain his lane, authorities said.

Police allege that around 7:45 a.m. on Friday March 3, Villanella and her 30-year-old brother were waiting at a bus stop at Lakeside Avenue and Pease Avenue when Casale struck them in a 2006 white Mitsubishi.

Villanella sustained fatal injuries and her brother was critically injured; he remains hospitalized in stable condition, authorities stated.

Casale is scheduled to make his first court appearance Wednesday. He is being held in the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark pending arraignment.

An investigation is active and ongoing, and is being conducted by the Verona Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes/Crash Investigative Unit.