A Superior Court judge ruled on Friday morning at the Somerset County Courthouse, NJ, that an 18-year-old Belle Mead resident must remain in custody while awaiting trial on vehicular homicide charges, rejecting defense arguments that a mental health episode led to the fatal July crash that claimed the life of a local woman.

Siddartha Surapanani, an 18-year-old Belle Mead, NJ, resident charged with vehicular homicide and fleeing the scene on foot, is a biology major in Seton Hall University's joint B.S./M.D. program, according to his LinkedIn page. The victim, Deepa Sripathy, 44, of Bridgewater, was pronounced dead at the scene. She was a married mother of two, according to her obituary.

Siddartha Prasad Surapanani, 18, of Belle Mead is charged with 2nd degree vehicular homicide after an accident in Raritan, just north of Hillsborough, on Monday, July 27, police said.