Intoxicated Driver Pleads Guilty in Fatal Crash That Shook the Community

The intoxicated driver has pleaded guilty to multiple charges after a high-speed crash last June that claimed the life of a four-year-old girl, the daughter of a local trustee. Axel I. Lopez-Santiago, 42, admitted to aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter, assault, driving while intoxicated, and reckless driving before the judge.

The crash happened on June 14, 2025, when Lopez-Santiago’s vehicle crossed the double yellow line on Old Nyack Turnpike, drove onto the sidewalk near Kennedy Park, and struck four pedestrians before crashing into a tree. The little girl was fatally struck, and three others suffered serious injuries.

Lopez-Santiago was remanded to Rockland County Jail, with sentencing set for February 18, 2026. While the District Attorney had recommended longer prison terms, the Judge announced a sentence below that recommendation, with prison terms ranging from 4 to 12 years on the most serious counts.

“We pushed for a sentence that reflected the gravity of the severe harm done to our community, and the court chose to give the defendant less,” said District Attorney Thomas Walsh.

Trustee Sruly Eisenbach told Rockland Daily, “I hope that this will bring some closure, even though there are still quite a few in the family that suffer from emotional and physical pain.”

The case was investigated by Spring Valley Police with assistance from Ramapo Police and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by the Vehicular Crimes Unit of the District Attorney’s Office.