Latest news with #SerraCatholic
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
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. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
CBS News
29-04-2025
- CBS News
Driver pleads guilty to murder in crash that killed Serra Catholic student Samantha Kalkbrenner
A man who was racing another driver at more than 100 mph before he crashed into a school van, killing 15-year-old Serra Catholic High School student Samantha Kalkbrenner, has pleaded guilty to third-degree murder. In exchange for the guilty plea, William Soliday was sentenced to five and a half to 12 years in prison. Soliday and Andrew Voigt were charged in connection with the deadly, fiery crash on Sept. 20, 2023. Serra Catholic High School student Samantha Kalkbrenner was killed in a school van crash in Dravosburg on Sept. 20, 2023. Serra Catholic High School A school van carrying Kalkbrenner was making a left turn from Third Street onto Richland Avenue in Dravosburg when it was hit by a Volkswagen. A Jeep flew through the intersection right after, police said. Witnesses told police that the drivers of the Volkswagen and Jeep were speeding and appeared to be racing as they crossed the Mansfield Bridge driving toward the intersection of Third Street and Richland Avenue. A 15-year-old Serra Catholic student was killed when a school van and another vehicle crashed in Dravosburg on Sept. 20, 2023. (Photo: KDKA) Police identified the 43-year-old Soliday as the driver of the Volkswagen and Voigt as the driver of the Jeep. Both men, police said, worked at a business about a quarter mile from the crash scene. Data from the Volkswagen showed Soliday was driving more than 100 miles per hour leading up to the crash. A traffic light has since been installed at the intersection where Kalkbrenner was killed.
