A 4-year-old Spring Valley girl died after a vehicle plowed into a group, including children, on a sidewalk on Saturday evening, June 14, outside Kennedy Park off Old Nyack Turnpike, according to Spring Valley police.
Police reported that the driver appeared under the influence of alcohol and charges reveal he had previous drunk-driving-related convictions.
The girl was the daughter of Spring Valley Village Trustee Yisroel Eisenbach, state Sen. Bill Weber said on X, offering the family his condolences.
The crash occurred around 9:20 p.m. June 14 outside the park, located at 142 Old Nyack Turnpike.
Four victims were injured and taken to Westchester Medical Center with varying degrees of injury, Spring Valley police reported. They also include a 2-year-old boy, a 5-year-old boy and a 31-year-old man.
Conditions were not available for the other victims.
A spate of pedestrian crashes have rattled residents of the village of Spring Valley and town of Ramapo. More than 20 pedestrians had been hit by vehicles across Ramapo from September 2024 through April 2025, police have reported.
A father wants a safe zone for kids to play
The Kennedy Park playground, among about a dozen play areas funded with federal American Rescue Plan funds in the region, was opened in July 2024.
Brightly colored play equipment, restrooms and a picnic area were added to the park.
Eisenbach, then Spring Valley’s deputy mayor, was instrumental in the plan to refurbish a play area for children there.
“This park provides a convenient location to some 200 families who live nearby and now have a place where they can take their children to enjoy being outdoors,” Eisenbach said at the ribbon-cutting, Patch.com reported. “I thank everyone who worked to make this a reality. It truly enhances our community.”
Ramapo Police and emergency medical personnel were first to respond to the June 14 incident, Spring Valley police reported. Police said the victims were walking on the sidewalk exiting a park.
Driver faces DWI-related charges, held on bail
The 41-year old driver, Axel Lopez-Santiago of Spring Valley, was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide with a previous DWI conviction; aggravated vehicular homicide causing the death of one person and serious physical injury of at least one other; first-degree vehicular assault; reckless driving and DWI.
Lopez-Santiago was arraigned on Sunday, June 15, in Spring Valley Justice Court. He was being held on $750,000 cash bail.Besides SVPD, responders included: Ramapo Police Department, the New York State Police, the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, Hatzolah, Spring Hill and Faist Ambulance Companies, Rockland County Paramedics, Spring Valley Fire Department, Chaverim of Rockland, and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: 4-year-old Spring Valley girl killed by car while walking on sidewalk; 3 others injured
Reporting by Michael P. McKinney and Nancy Cutler, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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