A Silicon Valley executive has been charged with murder in connection with a fiery crash that killed a mother and her daughter on Highway 87 in San Jose. Zachary Chernicky, 31, was arrested July 13 and faces two counts of murder for the Dec. 2, 2025, collision that claimed the lives of Ivana Balistreri, 29, and her 1-year-old daughter, Lilliana.
Prosecutors allege that Chernicky was driving his Tesla at excessive speeds, reaching up to 142 mph approximately 15 seconds before the crash. At the point of impact, his vehicle was traveling at about 102 mph when it collided with the Lexus SUV carrying Balistreri and Lilliana. The impact caused significant fire and damage to both vehicles, as well as a third car.
Balistreri's SUV was stopped in traffic when it was struck. Both she and her daughter, who was two weeks away from her second birthday, died in the blaze. The crash occurred around 10:45 a.m. in clear weather conditions.
"If people drive like this the natural outcome is that somebody's going to die," said Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Marisa McKeown, who is prosecuting the case. McKeown noted that the cause of Chernicky's excessive speed remains unclear. He sustained only minor injuries in the crash.
Balistreri's fiancé and Lilliana's father, Zack Martins, attempted to rescue them from the burning vehicle. Video footage from the scene shows Martins trying to save Balistreri and Lilliana, appearing to ask a bystander for assistance.
Lilliana was secured in a child safety seat in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Family members described Balistreri as kind, gentle, and full of life, stating in a written statement, "Two bright, innocent, loving souls were taken from us far too soon."
Chernicky, who has indicated on professional networking sites that he has held positions at Google and Apple, and discussed artificial intelligence, was ordered held without bail at his arraignment. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Aug. 25. His LinkedIn profile also mentions developing software for DJs, with videos of his work garnering significant online views.