2nd driver sentenced in crash that killed Serra student

Andrew Voigt will serve at least 16 months in state prison.

By PAULA REED WARD
TribLive

A man who police said was racing another driver across a Dravosburg bridge nearly two years ago, leading to a crash that killed a Serra Catholic High School student, will serve at least 16 months in state prison.

Andrew Voigt, 56, of Penn Hills, was taken into custody immediately following sentencing Tuesday in Downtown Pittsburgh in connection with the death of Samantha Kalkbrenner, 15, and injuries to three of her schoolmates.

As Voigt’s hands were cuffed behind his back, he became unsteady and toppled toward the defense table. Sheriff’s deputies caught him, and after several seconds, Voigt was able to stand on his own before being escorted from the courtroom.

Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Bruce Beemer ordered Voigt to serve 16 months to 4½ years in prison. Following a nonjury trial in May, Beemer found Voigt guilty of five counts of reckless endangerment, reckless driving, careless driving and speeding.

The other driver police said was racing that day, William Soliday, previously pleaded guilty to third-degree murder. He was ordered to serve 5½ to 12 years in state prison.

107 mph

Police said that Voigt was heading to work at Bettis Atomic Laboratory in West Mifflin around 7:20 a.m. on Sept. 20, 2023, when he and Soliday began racing through McKeesport into Dravosburg.

It was there, near the Mansfield Bridge, that Soliday T-boned a school van carrying four students to Serra Catholic in McKeesport.

Witnesses told police that both Soliday and Voigt were speeding. Video from a Tesla traveling on the road that morning showed Soliday’s Volkswagen Jetta strike the van.

Soliday was traveling at 107 mph five seconds before the crash and didn’t hit the brakes until 1.5 seconds before impact.

Voigt, who was driving a dark colored Jeep Grand Cherokee, did not stop at the crash scene.

He told police he lost control of his bowels, pulled over onto a side road and vomited.

Then, police said, Voigt drove home.

He scraped an identifying sticker off the back window — it showed a tank running over a stick-figure family that read “Nobody cares about your stick figure family” — and switched clothes and cars before heading off to work.

During an interview with police later that day, Voigt claimed he wasn’t racing.

Voigt spoke briefly at Tuesday’s hearing, telling the court that this experience has taught him how precious human life is.

“I feel I need to apologize for the tragic events that occurred that day,” Voigt said, reading from a typed statement.

Voigt said he sometimes prays he will wake up and find that the crash and Samantha’s death aren’t real. He said parents should not have to worry about their children making it to school and back home safely.

“I don’t feel I have the right to ask for forgiveness. I don’t feel I have the right to ask anyone to pray for me,” Voigt said.

He told Samantha’s family: “If you’re not ready to pray this with me, I understand,” and then recited “The Lord’s Prayer.”

Defense attorney Kevin Chernosky submitted 21 character letters from Voigt’s friends, loved ones and community, describing him as a good, kind and generous man.

“The events of that day belie what the letters say,” Chernosky said.

His client served 22 years on active duty in the military and in the Army Reserves, including at least one combat tour in Iraq.

Voigt was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2021 and has been under care at the Department of Veterans Affairs ever since.

A father’s grief

Samantha’s father, Carl Kalkbrenner, took umbrage at Voigt’s leaving the scene that morning in light of his military service.

“I was appalled to learn that,” Kalkbrenner said in court. “His actions that morning are not in keeping with the highest traditions of the armed services of America.”

Kalkbrenner retired after serving 26 years as a Marine.

“You do not leave the scene,” Kalkbrenner said. “He went home.”

Kalkbrenner said that Voigt made purposeful choices that day.

“Nobody drives 100 mph by accident,” he said. “He knew, without a doubt, he did something wrong.

“This is a tragedy that should never have happened.”

Kalkbrenner asked the judge if he could speak directly to Voigt, and then turned to face him.

“Regardless of what happens here today, you were culpable. My daughter’s name was Samantha Lee. Let her name flow from your tongue.

“I pray you will be forgiven for what you’ve done.”

Although the defense asked the court to sentence Voigt to probation, Beemer said a sentence of incarceration was necessary.

He acknowledged Voigt’s personal history of military service, love and support of family and friends and no prior criminal record. But Beemer said he had to balance that with “the utter devastation that you are at least, in part, responsible for causing.

“It’s hard to understand what would cause … the two of you to engage in this type of driving,” Beemer said. “Supervision alone does not vindicate the seriousness of this event.”

“Regardless of what happens here today, you were culpable. My daughter’s name was Samantha Lee. Let her name flow from your tongue. I pray you will be forgiven for what you’ve done.”

CARL KALKBRENNER