In a recent court hearing, William Soliday pled guilty to third-degree murder in the high-speed crash that resulted in the death of 15-year-old Samantha Kalkbrenner, a student at Serra Catholic High School. CBS News Pittsburgh reported that the crash occurred on September 20, 2023, when a school van making a turn was struck by Soliday's Volkswagen, which was racing another car at speeds exceeding 100 mph. Soliday received a prison sentence ranging from 5 1/2 to 12 years for his role in the fatal incident.
At the emotional sentencing, Samantha's parents gave heartrending statements. Nenita Kalkbrenner, Samantha’s mother, stated, "I know my daughter is proud of me," while sharing her ongoing sense of connection with her deceased daughter, according to WTAE. Carl Kalkbrenner, Samantha's father, expressed that no justice could ever suffice to reverse the tragic events, "because it won't ever undo what happened." Meanwhile, witnesses and classmates of Kalkbrenner offered their impact statements, recounting the dreadful morning and the lasting emotional scars from the crash.
Andrew Voigt, the driver of the Jeep involved in the race leading up to the collision, is facing separate misdemeanor charges. The co-defendants worked at a business approximately a quarter mile from the crash scene. Police data confirmed Soliday's excessive speed leading up to the fatal crash, and TribLIVE reported that a traffic light was installed at the intersection following the incident. Voigt's case was postponed while the van driver received immunity for his testimony despite testing positive for cocaine at the time of the crash, his lawyer raising questions about the immunity decision.
Soliday's remorse was palpable in the court as his wife stated to those present that he wished he could trade places with the young student, a sentiment he also shared in his statement to the family. His attorney, Casey White, considered the outcome reasonable, stating, "That was difficult not only for the Kalkbrenner family but also for the Soliday family." He noted, according to WTAE, that "at the end of the day, reasonableness prevailed."
