Telugu-Origin Teen Indicted on Manslaughter Charge
NEW JERSEY: An 18-year-old Indian-origin college student from a Telugu family in New Jersey has been indicted on a first-degree aggravated manslaughter charge following a fatal traffic collision that killed Deepa Sripathy Reddy, a 44-year-old Bridgewater resident and mother of two, from another Telugu family from Hyderabad, in July.
Siddartha P. Surapanani, a Belle Mead resident studying at Seton Hall University, was indicted by a Somerset County grand jury on October 22, according to The Montgomery News. The most serious charge carries a potential prison sentence of up to 30 years if he is convicted.
Surapanani also faces two second-degree charges: reckless death by auto and knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death.
The indictment marks a significant development in a case involving two Indian-origin families in central New Jersey. Surapanani has not been convicted, and the allegations against him remain subject to court proceedings.
Prosecutors Allege 15 Miles of Dangerous Driving
The charges arise from a collision on July 27, 2026, at the intersection of Route 202 and First Avenue in Raritan, Somerset County.
According to prosecutors, Surapanani was driving a Genesis SUV when he allegedly ran a red light and struck the driver's side of an Acura SUV operated by Sripathy.
Police responded to the crash at approximately 6:29 a.m. Sripathy was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators said they received multiple reports of Surapanani driving erratically before the collision. Witnesses described dangerous maneuvers along Route 202, including traveling against the normal flow of traffic.
Prosecutors allege that the dangerous driving continued for approximately 15 miles, beginning near Flemington and ending at the crash site in Raritan.
Authorities said Surapanani left the collision scene on foot before Raritan police located and apprehended him. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
He was initially charged with second-degree vehicular homicide and subsequently with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. The October indictment added the more serious first-degree aggravated manslaughter allegation.
Victim's Family Attends Court Proceedings
Sripathy's death left behind her husband, Ramakrishna, and two daughters, Harshitha, 20, and Samsmitha, 16.
The family attended a September 11 hearing before New Jersey Superior Court Judge Peter Tober, accompanied by relatives.
Surapanani's family, including his grandparents, who helped raise him, also attended the proceedings, according to The Montgomery News.
The hearing highlighted the personal consequences of the collision for both families as the court considered the defendant's continued detention and medical treatment.
Defense Raises Mental Health Concerns
During the September 11 hearing, defense attorney Michael B. Roberts told the court that Surapanani had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and could not remember the four days surrounding the fatal collision.
Roberts sought to have his client transferred from jail to a private treatment facility, arguing that he required appropriate psychiatric care.
Prosecutors opposed the request, maintaining that the circumstances of the alleged driving raised serious public-safety concerns.
Judge Tober declined to release Surapanani to the proposed treatment facility. The defendant remained in custody, where his attorney acknowledged he was receiving treatment.
The defense's statements concerning Surapanani's mental health are part of the ongoing legal proceedings. They do not, by themselves, establish that he lacked criminal responsibility for the alleged conduct.
Next Court Appearance Scheduled for November 9
Surapanani, a graduate of Montgomery High School and a student in Seton Hall University's medical studies program, is scheduled to appear for a post-indictment arraignment on November 9 at the Somerset County Courthouse.
Judge Tober is expected to address the formal indictment, the defendant's rights and his plea to the charges.
Surapanani previously entered a not-guilty plea. His next appearance will allow the criminal case to proceed under the charges returned by the grand jury.
An indictment is a formal accusation, not a finding of guilt. Prosecutors must prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction.
The case continues to draw attention because of the death of Sripathy, the serious charges against a young college student and the legal questions surrounding the defendant's mental health at the time of the crash.
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