Nanuet Man Indicted Over Porsche Crash That Killed 2

NANUET, NY — A Rockland County Grand Jury handed down a manslaughter indictment Tuesday against one of the drivers in an alleged drag race that killed two teenagers nearly a year ago in Pearl River.

On Oct. 13, 2019, a 2017 Porsche with three people inside plunged off Route 304 onto the New Jersey Transit train tracks at 3:25 p.m. in the vicinity of the Crooked Hill Road overpass. The car landed on the tracks and caught fire.

The Porsche was driven by Aisha Radoncic, 17, of Orangeburg. The other car involved in the crash was a 2013 Volkswagen driven by Nanuet resident Jason Castro.

The passengers in the Porsche were Saniha Cekic, 15, of Brooklyn, and Altin Nezaj, 17, of Pearl River.

Nezaj was taken to Nyack Montefiore Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Cekic was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. Radoncic was taken to Westchester Medical Center with serious injuries. Castro was uninjured.

After an eight-month investigation, Orangetown police alleged the crash came as a result of a drag race. They said Radoncic and Castro were driving recklessly and in June charged them both with criminally negligent homicide, The Journal News reported. Each pleaded not guilty.

The Nezaj family filed a lawsuit in Rockland Supreme Court in mid-June, according to TJN. It named not only the drivers but also Aisha Radoncic's parents for allowing her to drive the car. In the suit, the family alleged a host of reckless driving decisions culminating with Castro cutting into Radoncic's lane, causing her to swerve off the road.

Tuesday, Castro, 44, was indicted on Manslaughter 2nd and Reckless Endangerment charges.

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Walsh said Castro’s reckless driving caused the deaths of Cekic and Nezaj.

"Our prayers remain with the families of all involved in this devastating loss of life," he said.

SEE:

• Pearl River Mourns Teens' Deaths In Fiery Crash
• Charges, Lawsuit in Porsche's Fatal Crash