Driver in fatal crash accused of stalking victim's wife

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Michael Casey, Associated Press
Updated 5:52 pm CDT, Thursday, August 30, 2018



This booking photograph released Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, by the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office shows Catrina Costello, arrested on charges of striking Stephen and Erin VanDalinda and their dog with a car Wednesday night in Seabrook, N.H. Stephen VanDalinda, died and his wife was hospitalized with serious injuries. (New Hampshire Attorney General's Office
via AP) Photo: AP / New Hampshire Attorney General's Office


SEABROOK, N.H. (AP) — Sometimes Catrina Costello would allegedly yell obscenities and stare at Stephen VanDalinda and his wife, Erin. Other times she would shine a green laser beam toward them or threaten them with her two pit bills.

The feud between the two families, according to neighbors and court records, goes back several years. It came to head Wednesday night when Costello allegedly ran the couple down as they walked their dog on a quiet, two-lane street near their house.

Sixty-four-year-old Stephen VanDalinda, and his 61-year-old wife, Erin, were hit just after 6 p.m. in Seabrook, a town of about 9,000 near the Massachusetts border. Erin is hospitalized with serious injuries and their German Shepherd died from its injuries.

Authorities said Costello, 38, was driving drunk when she hit the couple and then left the scene. She was charged Thursday with reckless second-degree murder and faces several other charges including aggravated driving while intoxicated and violation of a stalking order of protection. The Portsmouth Herald reported she waived her Thursday arraignment and did not appear at Rockingham Superior Court. She is being held without bail.


Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Driver-in-fatal-crash-accused-of-stalking-13193521.php

[LandOfHopeAndDreams]

1. They Better Try Her For 1st Degree Murder

That's exactly what it was. She'll probably get a lawyer to argue otherwise, but I hope the jury does not buy her BS lies.

Edit: I see they only charged her with 2nd degree. An absolute joke. This was premeditated 100%.

[Jedi Guy]

4. I thought the same thing.

This should be murder in the first, with a depraved heart upgrade tacked on if the state has such a thing. The only thing I can figure is that they're considering it a crime of passion because she was drunk and her judgment was impaired.

Still, given the history between the families, premeditated murder makes plenty of sense to me. She needs to sit in a tiny room all by her lonesome for a very, very long time.

I hope the victim is able to recover and find peace. I suspect the physical injuries will pale in comparison to the survivor's guilt and traumatic memories.

[LandOfHopeAndDreams]

5. Drunk Or Not, She Targeted Them Specifically

She didn't just happen to be on the road drunk at the same time in the same place, as where they were walking their dog.

I would hope if they can find a shred of evidence that shows it was planned out, they change the charge to 1st degree.

This country has a continuing bad habit of falling short of justice. All the facts I've read, tell me that she knew what she was doing, and had the intent and forethought of killing both of them and their dog. This was no accident.

[CatMor]

2. Horrible ...

it's so sad when people have to put up with neighbors like her. I hope she goes to prison for a long time. Not only does it seems intentional she was also drunk driving. People like that woman don't deserve to walk among us.

[paleotn]

3. reckless 2nd degree?

I guess the local DA doesn't want to go up against...drunk and didn't know what she was doing. But a crime this horrific, I don't think that would matter. Certainly not down here. Juries must be different in NH.

[kimbutgar]

6. I see this as a future episode of the show fear thy neighbor on ID channel

How horrible for that couple to experience such harassment.