A man has been sentenced to prison for causing a fatal wrong-way crash on Interstate 17, resulting in the deaths of three Grand Canyon University students.
Vincent Ian Acosta, responsible for the early morning crash in the northbound lanes of the freeway near New River on Oct. 10, 2022, has been sentenced to 22 years in prison, taking into account the time he has already served.
According to court documents obtained by Arizona’s Family, it was revealed that Acosta had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.129, which exceeds the legal limit. Furthermore, it was reported that 11 individuals dialed 911 to report Acosta’s erratic driving on the freeway before the collision occurred. Acosta ultimately crashed into a commercial vehicle and two other cars, one of which was occupied by the GCU students.
Three individuals tragically lost their lives in the incident. Two of them succumbed to their injuries at the scene, while the third person passed away at the hospital. The victims have been identified as follows:
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- Abriauna Hoffman, 18, from Clarkston, WA
- Magdalyn (Maggie) Ogden, 18, from Clarkston, WA
- Hunter Balberdi, 19, from Wailuku, HI
Acosta’s plea deal outlined that he could face a prison sentence of 18 to 22 years for each charge, to be served concurrently. Additionally, his license will be revoked.