Two men are charged in a school van crash that killed a 15-year-old girl. Racers were accused of racing on a public highway in western Pennsylvania.
Highway Racing Crash Claims Teen’s Life: Charges Filed against Motorists
A northbound vehicle hit a Serra Catholic High School van making a left turn in Dravosburg on September 20. Samantha Lee Kalkbrenner died in the crash, while three minors and two badly injured adults were hospitalized.
William Soliday II, 43, of Irwin, is charged with criminal homicide, vehicular homicide, several aggravated assaults, and reckless endangering after his car hit the van. Andrew Voigt, 37, of Pittsburgh, is charged with death or injury and reckless endangering after entering the intersection shortly after the crash. Both guys, who worked nearby, are charged with highway racing.
Authorities said the two drivers were racing before the car crashed, turning it into a “deadly weapon.” Before the crash, investigators estimate the first automobile was going above 100 mph and the second was two seconds behind. Soliday’s attorney, Casey White, said his client has head trauma and has no memory of the collision or leaving home that day. White apologized on behalf of his client and family, emphasizing that Soliday’s actions were accidental.
Tragic Crash, Racing Incident, Community Mourns
Three of the four van students, including Samantha Lee Kalkbrenner, were ejected and died at the site. The Van driver was also seriously injured. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said the two drivers raced, turning their cars into lethal weapons. The suspects were charged with criminal and vehicular homicide, reflecting the gravity of the circumstances.
After the crash, the community mourns a young life and struggles with road recklessness. Authorities will pursue justice for the fatal racing tragedy.