23-05-2025
Second man charged in school van crash that killed 15-year-old student found guilty in court
One of the men charged in a race that ended in a deadly school van crash was found guilty of most charges in court.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 15-year-old student killed in school van crash in Dravosburg
'Two days of mixed emotions because we have to relive this over and over,' Nenita Kalkbrenner told Channel 11.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 'Not easy': Samantha Kalkbrenner's parents volunteer at fish fry in her memory
It's the second trial the Kalkbrenners have had to sit through in connection to the death of their 15-year-old daughter Samantha.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Man pleads guilty in school van crash that killed 15-year-old Serra Catholic student
Today, Allegheny County Judge Bruce Beemer determined Andrew Voigt is guilty of five counts of reckless endangerment.
He's the second man who was charged in connection to Samatha's death after he was driving approximately 90 miles per hour on Richland Avenue in Dravosburg, back in September of 2023.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Family, friends of local cheerleader killed in school van crash hold fundraiser in her memory
Since that day, police suspected Voigt and William Soliday, the other driver, were drag racing on the busy highway.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> New videos played in court show moment just before deadly school van crash in Dravosburg
Soliday's car crashed into the van, and Samatha was killed. Voigt never stopped, and kept driving.
'We are just happy that he was able to find him guilty of most of the charges. We were a little worried about how that was going to play out,' Karl Kalkbrenner said
During the trial, Voigt's attorney attempted to shift blame for the crash to the van bus driver — who tested positive for traces cocaine after the crash, but was never charged.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Driver of Serra Catholic school van had cocaine in his system at time of deadly crash, sources say
'We weren't too worried about that, really, because we knew from the beginning the toxicology screening said he was not under the influence,' he added.
Voigt will be sentenced in August, where he could face jail time.
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