Seabrook Woman Charged With Running Down Neighbors With Truck, Killing One
SEABROOK, N.H. (CBS) – A woman has been charged with using her truck to run down her neighbors, killing one of them. Catrina Costello, 38, waived her right to an arraignment Thursday afternoon in Rockingham County Superior Court for. several charges including reckless second-degree murder, drunk driving, and stalking.
She is being held without bail.
Police were called to Pine Street in Seabrook around 6:20 p.m. Wednesday for a report of two people who were hit by a vehicle while walking their dog. Stephen VanDalinda, 64, and his German Shepherd were killed. His wife, 61-year-old Erin VanDalinda, was seriously hurt.
Investigators say the driver, later identified as Costello, took off. Mailboxes, shrubs and part of a fence were knocked down in the crash.
Neighbors told WBZ-TV the couple was targeted because of a feud with Costello over their dogs. They said the VanDalindas were set to move soon. A for sale sign was in their yard Thursday.
Erin had taken out a protection order out against Costello in September 2017.
Neighbors said the VanDalindas were a nice couple.
"Friendliest people on the street, they didn't bother anybody," said Brian Henderson. "They were always very helpful to everybody...You could see how bad the damage was on the truck. If she hit somebody with that, it's real bad."
He added, "I didn't think it would escalate to this. But she was always real mad at them, all the time.
Stephen was a longtime nurse at Exeter Hospital working at the Outpatient Surgery Center. "Stephen was a lovely man and a great nurse who made magic every day. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. We extend our deepest sympathy to the Van Dalinda family," said the hospital in a statement.
Erica Winde, a friend of Stephen described him as "an extremely dedicated Nurse who gave more than 100% to his job every day." She said in the short time that they worked together, they "shared a lot of laughs. He was full of life every single day. I enjoyed all his stories and conversations about his family and some of his favorite past times. I've missed working with him and to learn of such a tragedy is incomprehensible. He was a great guy, he truly was."
Costello was arrested and charged with reckless second-degree murder, second-degree assault, aggravated driving while intoxicated, failing to stop after an accident and stalking for violating a protection order.
No other information is available at this point in the investigation.
