Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced that Axel I. Lopez-Santiago, 41, of Spring Valley, has been sentenced to two consecutive six-year terms, totaling 12 years in state prison, following a fatal crash that killed the four-year-old daughter of Spring Valley Deputy Mayor Yisroel Eisenbach. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Kevin F. Russo in Rockland County Court after Lopez-Santiago pled guilty to the entire eight-count indictment.
The crash occurred on June 14, 2025, when Lopez-Santiago was driving recklessly at a high rate of speed eastbound on Old Nyack Turnpike in Spring Valley. Authorities said his vehicle suddenly veered across the double yellow line into the opposite lane of travel before leaving the roadway and mounting the pedestrian sidewalk near the entrance to Kennedy Park. The vehicle struck at least three pedestrians before crashing into a tree. Responding officers found the defendant behind the wheel and the sole occupant of the vehicle.
All victims were transported to local hospitals. A four-year-old girl tragically died from her injuries, while two other victims—a 31-year-old man and a five-year-old boy—sustained serious physical injuries. The investigation determined that Lopez-Santiago was intoxicated from alcohol at the time of the crash.
During the sentencing hearing, Goldy’s father, Spring Valley Deputy Mayor Yisroel Eisenbach, delivered a powerful victim impact statement describing the devastating loss his family continues to endure.
“My daughter, Goldy, was not just a name in a police report or a case number on a docket. She was light. She was laughter. She was happiness,” Eisenbach told the court. “Goldy was always smiling, and more than that — she wanted everyone around her to smile too. That was who she was.”
Eisenbach shared that his daughter lived for exactly 1,533 days, 12 hours, and 46 minutes — a total of 132,497,160 seconds.
“Every one of those seconds was precious. Every one of those seconds mattered. And every one of those seconds is all we were given with her,” he said.
He described the lasting impact the tragedy has had on the family, noting that another relative involved in the crash is still unable to return home due to injuries sustained that day.
“This was not an unavoidable accident. It was a choice,” Eisenbach said. “A choice to drink. A choice to get behind the wheel.”
Eisenbach also noted that the defendant had previously been convicted of driving while intoxicated in 2018.
“A wise man once said that smart people do not make the same mistake twice. Mr. Lopez-Santiago had already been convicted in the past for driving while intoxicated. He knew the risks. He knew the danger. And yet, he made that same choice again — and this time it cost my daughter her life.”
Despite the unimaginable loss, Eisenbach told the court he chooses forgiveness.
“I want to say something clearly. I do not stand here filled with hatred. For my own heart and for my family, I choose forgiveness. I forgive Mr. Lopez-Santiago. But forgiveness does not erase consequences. Forgiveness does not lessen the value of Goldy’s life.”
Eisenbach also expressed gratitude to the police officers and detectives who investigated the case, as well as to family, friends, and community members who supported the family during the past months.
“Every morning we wake up to the same reality — she is gone. Every night we go to sleep with the same ache. Our family will never be the same,” he said.
“Judge Russo, Goldy mattered. Her 132,497,160 seconds mattered.”
“Today’s sentence cannot undo the unimaginable pain caused by the defendant’s reckless actions, nor can it bring back a four-year-old child whose life was tragically cut short, but I hope that it brings some measure of justice and closure,” said District Attorney Walsh. “Our hearts remain with the victim’s family and all those who were injured.”
In addition to the consecutive six-year prison terms for two counts of Assault in the Second Degree, the court imposed concurrent sentences of 4 to 12 years for Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and Manslaughter in the Second Degree, 1⅓ to 4 years for felony Driving While Intoxicated, and 364 days in jail for Reckless Driving.
Authorities noted that Lopez-Santiago had a prior conviction for Driving While Intoxicated in the Village of Spring Valley Justice Court on August 7, 2018.
The investigation was conducted by the Spring Valley Police Department with assistance from the Ramapo Police Department and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Dominic Crispino and Supervising Assistant District Attorney Sharleen Bailon.
This is crazy this guy murdered a little girl he didn’t just kill her. He murdered her. Why isn’t he doing 25 to life?