A Silicon Valley startup founder has been charged with murder in connection with a fatal crash that killed a woman and her young daughter. Zachary Chernicky, 31, is accused of striking Ivana Balistreri, 29, and her one-year-old daughter Lilliana in a collision that prosecutors described as a fireball crash.

The incident occurred around 10 a.m. on December 2. According to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, Chernicky was traveling at 142 mph on Highway 87, where the speed limit is 65 mph. Prosecutors stated that Chernicky slowed his Tesla to 126 mph five seconds before the collision and was traveling at 102 mph when he impacted the rear of Balistreri's Lexus.

The district attorney's office reported that the impact was so forceful that both Balistreri's vehicle and a third car were severely damaged and caught fire. Balistreri and her daughter "burned to death in the crash," while Chernicky sustained minor injuries.

Photographs from the scene depicted two vehicles burned extensively, with a third vehicle nearby showing significant damage. A pink sneaker was visible among the debris.

Balistreri and her baby daughter 'burned to death in the crash', according to prosecutors

Chernicky, a resident of San Jose, California, was arrested on July 13 and appeared in court the following day. He is being held without bail and has not yet entered a plea. He faces two counts of murder and significant prison time if convicted.

Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen commented on the charges, stating, "The law says that it is murder when someone shoots into a crowd. When someone is driving 140 mph, then the driver is the shooter and their car is the bullet."

Driver Zach Chernicky has been charged with two counts of murder and faces significant prison time if convicted

Balistreri's family established a GoFundMe page to help cover legal fees and funeral expenses. They remembered Ivana Balistreri as "one of the purest spirits we have ever known," describing her as gentle, kind, and full of life. They also noted that her daughter, Lilliana, brought immense joy during her short life.

Balistreri's family remembered her as 'one of the purest spirits we have ever known' on a fundraising page to cover their legal fees as they fight for justice for the mom and her daughter

The family has also appealed for any witnesses or individuals with video evidence of the accident to come forward.

Chernicky is identified as the founder of Chernicky Ventres LLC, a software company for DJs, which he launched three months after the incident. He previously worked as a technical support engineer in Silicon Valley.

Photographs from the scene show two cars burned to a crisp, with a third half-destroyed vehicle laying nearby in the aftermath

The aftermath of the crash was shown above, including a pink sneaker among the debris