Montco Truck Driver Sentenced To Prison In Joyride Death Of Young Girl

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA — The Plymouth Meeting man who took neighborhood children for joyrides in his pick-up truck, leading to the death of a 7-year-old girl, has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.

Andres Marin, 48, will spend the next 6 to 24 months behind bars after agreeing to plead guilty to manslaughter, according to court documents.

It was an unusual end to an unusual case in which the prosecution and judge agreed with attorneys for Marin that there was no criminal intent to Marin's actions. But there still must be a price. At the time of Marin's arrest, District Attorney Kevin Steele called it a "complete disregard" of the danger at hand.

The incident occurred back on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023 at 8 p.m. in Plymouth Meeting.

The victim Sloane Kwartnik and four other children were riding their bikes and scooters around the neighborhood when they asked Marin for a ride in the back of his truck, a 1996 Subaru Sambar, police said. Marin had given them a ride in the "unique looking" truck several times before, the District Attorney's Office said.

As Marin sped around the streets, Sloane fell over the side wall of the bed of the truck, which is just under a foot high, and struck her head on the pavement, police said. The truck then ran her over, killing her.

Marin immediately picked up the girl and drove her to her parents' house, then drove the girl and her father to Einstein Montgomery County Hospital. Less than an hour after the ride began, at 8:43 p.m., she was declared dead.

"He should have known it just a matter of time before one of these 'fun' rides ended tragically," Steele added.

Sloane's family has launched a nonprofit, Sloane's Roses, to help other families who are going through similar tragedies. Learn more here.