A 4-year-old girl was killed, and three other pedestrians were injured when an alleged drunk driver struck them on a sidewalk in Spring Valley, Rockland County, over the weekend. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, June 14, has left the community in shock and mourning.
The Tragic Incident
Just before 9:20 p.m., four pedestrians, including a 31-year-old man and two young boys, were leaving a park on Old Nyack Turnpike when a vehicle allegedly veered onto the sidewalk and struck them. The Spring Valley Police Department reported that the vehicle hit the group of pedestrians, leaving them with varying degrees of injury.
Police and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who arrived at the scene found the vehicle disabled on the sidewalk with the driver trapped inside. The victims, including a 4-year-old girl and two young boys aged 5 and 2, were quickly rushed to Westchester Medical Center by ambulance for treatment.
Devastating Loss
The 31-year-old man and the 4-year-old girl sustained life-threatening injuries, police said. Tragically, the young girl, later identified as Goldy Eisenbach, succumbed to her injuries a few hours later despite all life-saving efforts made by medical teams.
Goldy Eisenbach was the daughter of Yisroel Eisenbach, a Spring Valley Village Trustee. New York State Senator Bill Weber expressed his deep condolences on social media, writing, “My heart breaks for Trustee Eisenbach and his wife on the tragic loss of their 4-year-old daughter, Goldy, who was killed by a drunk driver.”
Weber continued, “Drunk driving is a plague on our society and must be confronted — but today, we mourn.”
The Driver and Arrest
The driver of the vehicle, Axel Lopez-Santiago, 41, of Spring Valley, was also injured in the crash and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital. Following the investigation, police alleged that Lopez-Santiago may have been driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
Lopez-Santiago was arrested and charged with several serious offenses, including:
- Aggravated vehicular homicide (due to a previous DWI conviction)
- Aggravated vehicular homicide causing the death of one person and serious physical injury of another
- Vehicular assault in the first degree
- Driving while intoxicated
Lopez-Santiago is currently being held on $750,000 cash bail as he awaits further legal proceedings. It is unclear whether he has retained an attorney to represent him.
Community Impact
The tragic death of Goldy Eisenbach has left the Spring Valley community reeling. Local leaders and residents have expressed their heartbreak over the incident, and there has been widespread support for the Eisenbach family as they mourn the loss of their young daughter.
This case has also brought attention to the dangers of drunk driving, with many calling for stronger measures to address this ongoing issue in society.
Investigation Ongoing
The investigation into the incident is still ongoing, as police continue to gather evidence and interview witnesses. The community and authorities are seeking justice for Goldy and the other victims of this horrific crash.
