Drunk wrong-way driver who caused deadly crash given decades-long prison sentence: MCAO

A driver who killed three university students in the Phoenix area during a crash will spend decades behind bars.

Officials with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced the 22-year prison sentence for 27-year-old Vincent Ian Acosta on Jan. 17.

MCAO: Acosta was driving in the wrong direction when the crash happened

The crash, per a statement released by MCAO, happened in 2022 along Interstate 17.

Timeline:

DPS officials at the time said Acosta was headed south in the northbound lanes of I-17 when he hit the victims' car and two others.

The victims were identified as 19-year-old Hunter Balberdi, 18-year-old Abriauna Hoffman, and 18-year-old Magdalyn "Maggie" Ogden. All three were freshmen at Grand Canyon University, in addition to being dorm roommates.

According to court documents, Acosta had a blood-alcohol level of .129 at the time of the crash.

In August 2024, Acosta pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

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