In a heartbreaking turn of events, two teenagers from Pennsylvania are now facing criminal charges after separate, reckless stunts inspired by dangerous social media challenges led to the death of one friend and left another with what are expected to be lifelong, catastrophic injuries. This isn’t just a story about a viral TikTok trend gone wrong; it’s about the devastating consequences of momentary, poor judgment between close friends.
While the two incidents are completely unrelated, they both occurred in Northampton County, and both drivers are now facing charges for their role in the tragedies. Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta announced the charges, highlighting a plea for public accountability over severe punishment, per Fox News.
In the first incident, which occurred on June 1, a 17-year-old boy, later identified as David Nagy, died during a “table surfing” stunt. According to Baratta, Nagy was riding on a folding table that was tied to the back of his friend’s car. The 17-year-old driver allegedly drove at a reckless speed, causing the table, and Nagy, to whip into a parked vehicle. Sadly, the impact was fatal.
Teens die doing TikTok challenges, and now friends face charges
In the second case, which happened months earlier on March 18, a 19-year-old woman was allegedly driving with her 20-year-old friend “surfing” on the trunk of the car. The friend fell off the moving vehicle and suffered severe and permanent head injuries. Both drivers are now facing charges. The 17-year-old boy who was driving in the “table surfing” incident has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. The 19-year-old woman in the “car surfing” case is facing charges of aggravated assault and aggravated assault by vehicle.
The most shocking and tragic part of all of this is that the people involved were so close. “The families did have a closeness and a trust with these close friends — I mean they knew them very well,” Baratta told reporters at a news briefing. “That’s what’s so heartbreaking in this case.” It’s a sobering reminder that sometimes, the people who know you best can also put you in the most danger without ever intending to.
Baratta made it clear that neither driver is accused of having “criminogenic thinking,” meaning there was no malicious intent to harm their friends. However, their actions were “so grossly negligent and reckless” that criminal charges were necessary.
The families aren’t out for revenge; they’re looking for accountability and hoping to prevent similar tragedies. Baratta explained that the families want these cases to serve as a public deterrent for other young people who might be tempted to mimic these incredibly dangerous social media challenges. The district attorney said the families were also worried that if no charges were brought, “only the victims would pay the ultimate price for their injuries and not the drivers who actually caused the injuries.”
