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A Silicon Valley package developer and startup laminitis has been charged pinch execution aft prosecutors opportunity he drove his Tesla astatine much than 140 mph earlier plowing into stopped postulation connected a California highway, triggering a fiery clang that killed a mother and her young daughter.
Zachary Chernicky, 31, has been arrested and charged pinch 2 counts of execution successful relationship pinch nan Dec. 2, 2025, clang successful San Jose, California.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office alleges information recovered during nan investigation shows Chernicky was driving 142 mph 15 seconds earlier impact, 126 mph 5 seconds earlier effect and still moving astatine astir 102 mph erstwhile his Tesla slammed into a Lexus stopped successful traffic.
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Ivana Balistreri holds her daughter, Lilliana, successful a family photograph earlier nan brace were killed successful a December 2025 clang successful San Jose, California. (Credit KTVU)
Chernicky was arraigned Tuesday, ordered held without bail and is scheduled to return to tribunal Aug. 25.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) said nan July 13 apprehension followed a "comprehensive investigation" conducted successful coordination pinch nan Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, adding that it hopes nan apprehension "represents an important measurement toward nan justness nan victims' family deserves arsenic they proceed to grieve."
"The rule says that it is execution erstwhile personification shoots into a crowd," Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said successful a statement. "When personification is driving 140 mph, past nan driver is nan shooter and their car is nan bullet."
Ivana Balistreri and her daughter, Lilliana, airs together successful nan snowfall earlier they were killed successful a fiery Highway 87 crash, authorities said. (Credit KTVU)
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The Lexus burst into flames aft being struck, sidesplitting front-seat rider Ivana Balistreri, 29, and her 1-year-old daughter, Lilliana. KTVU successful San Francisco reported that Lilliana was strapped into a kid information spot down Balistreri. Lilliana died conscionable 2 weeks earlier her 2nd birthday.
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California Highway Patrol officers apprehension Zachary Chernicky connected July 13, 2026, successful relationship pinch a fatal Highway 87 clang that killed a mother and her young daughter, authorities said. (California Highway Patrol)
Authorities said Balistreri's fiancé, who was driving nan Lexus, survived nan crash.
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CHP said Chernicky's Tesla besides struck different Tesla and a Toyota. Three of nan vehicles caught fire.
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Prosecutors emphasized that nan criminal lawsuit centers connected Chernicky's alleged velocity — not nan conveyance he was driving.
An aerial position shows nan aftermath of a fatal clang connected Highway 87 successful San Jose, California, that near aggregate vehicles burned. Prosecutors allege a Tesla walking much than 140 mph triggered nan collision. (Credit KTVU)
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"I've seen immoderate sum of this incident that says things like, 'Tesla clang kills a family,' but that header misses nan point," Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Marisa McKeown said successful remarks reported by KTVU. "The Tesla didn't origin this crash. Chernicky did by driving complete 140 miles per hour."
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A publically disposable master floor plan identifies Chernicky arsenic nan laminitis of CHURRDJ, a San Jose startup processing package for Pioneer DJ equipment. The floor plan states he antecedently worked successful technical support roles astatine Apple, Gong, Glean and AI institution Mistral AI.
The aftermath of a Dec. 2, 2025, clang connected California Highway 87 successful San Jose, wherever prosecutors allege Zachary Chernicky was driving much than 140 mph earlier his Tesla slammed into stopped traffic. (California Highway Patrol)
Fox News Digital has reached retired to Apple, Gong, Glean and Mistral AI to verify Chernicky's employment history and petition comment, and to nan Santa Clara County Public Defender's office.
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CHP besides utilized nan lawsuit to pass motorists astir nan dangers of excessive speed.
"Do not speed. Speeding costs lives," nan agency said. "CHP will clasp reckless drivers accountable."
Greg Wehner is simply a newsman for Fox News Digital covering U.S. news and crime, pinch a attraction connected breaking developments, rule enforcement, nationalist information and awesome stories shaping communities crossed nan country.
