A man accused of killing two women in a hit-and-run in Newark, New Jersey, will remain behind bars until he goes to trial, after agreeing to stay in jail during a court hearing. The defendant, 26-year-old David Sabata Vera, is charged in what authorities have described as a double hit-and-run on Park Avenue, one of the city's main thoroughfares.
Sabata Vera appeared at the Essex County Courthouse for the proceeding, where the question of whether he would be held ahead of trial was addressed. He entered the courtroom and stood silent, remaining there for only a few minutes before the matter was resolved by his lawyer speaking on his behalf.
During the brief hearing, his attorney told Judge Laurie Griffa that Sabata Vera had agreed to remain in custody until his trial. That agreement means the 26-year-old will stay in jail in the meantime, rather than seeking release while the case against him moves through the court system.
The charges stem from the deaths of two women who, according to the accusations, were struck and killed on Park Avenue. As the case stands, Sabata Vera is accused but has not been convicted, and the proceedings now set the stage for a trial at which the evidence will be presented and weighed.
Hit-and-run cases that end in death are treated with particular seriousness, both because of the loss of life and because the driver is alleged to have left the scene rather than stopping. The decision to keep a defendant in custody until trial reflects the gravity of the allegations being pursued by prosecutors in Essex County.
For now, the case remains in its early court stages, with Sabata Vera set to stay jailed as it proceeds. The hearing marked one of the first formal steps in a process that will ultimately determine his responsibility, if any, for the deaths of the two women on Park Avenue.