Thursday, October 1, 2026
The driver who fatally struck Zachary Ranftle on Dec. 11, 2014 was sentenced on Wednesday to six months in jail for driving with a suspended license on the day that the 12-year-old died as he walked to school.
Austin Soldano, 30, of Seaford, was taken into custody at the hearing. His sentence was the maximum penalty allowed by law. Afterwards, District Attorney Madeline Singas reiterated her call for tougher penalties for drivers with suspended or revoked licenses who cause serious injury or death.
“Mr. and Mrs. Flood said it better than anyone in court this morning: Driving is a privilege and a responsibility,” Singas said, quoting Zachary’s parents, Kathleen and Patrick Flood. “Austin Soldano flagrantly and repeatedly violated the traffic laws, continued driving while his license was suspended and it led directly to Zachary Ranftle’s death. This should not be a misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of six months in jail; there must be felony penalties. Last year the Floods stood with me, Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky, Assemblyman Jack Martins and Assemblyman Dave McDonough to announce a bill to make that change. The legislative session came and went; it is time for Albany to make this change.”
Soldano pleaded guilty to second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and failure to exercise due care, a traffic violation, in connection with Zachary’s death.
Prosecutors were granted an indictment linking Soldano’s previous DWI and resisting arrest charges, for which his license was suspended, with the incident that killed Zachary. Soldano pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, failure to stop at an intersection and resisting arrest for an August 2014 incident in Long Beach. Judge Angelo Delligatti sentenced him to a year in jail for those charges, to be served consecutively with his six-month sentence.
In addition, Soldano will have to serve five years’ probation, and will be required to install an ignition interlock device and complete any alcohol treatment or counseling that is mandated by probation officials.
