NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A woman whose wrong-way drunk driving caused the 2023 death of a woman and seriously injured a second in Yonkers, was sentenced to state prison, Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced Thursday.
Qualasia Willis, 29, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty in November to aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, and driving while intoxicated.
Willis was issued a 5 to 15 year sentence Wednesday morning for the top charge of aggravated vehicular homicide. She was also sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison for the vehicular assault charge and 1 year for the driving while intoxicated charge, both to run concurrently with the 5 to 15 year sentence.
"This is yet another tragic incident highlighting the dangers of driving while intoxicated, D.A. Cacace said. "The Westchester County DA’s Office will continue to aggressively pursue cases like these, sending the clear message that driving under the influence will not be tolerated."
At approximately 4:30 a.m. on April 9, 2023, Willis drove an Acura MDX southward for approximately 4 miles in the northbound lanes of I-87, in Yonkers. Willis collided with a car that was being driven by Isabel Steger, 22, of Bedford Hills.
Willis had a blood-alcohol content of .14% at the time. The legal limit in New York State is .08%, prosecutors said.
Steger was pronounced dead at NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester, in Bronxville. The passenger in Steger’s car, Julia Ring, survived the crash but was left with debilitating injuries.
At Willis' sentencing on Wednesday, Ring and Steger’s parents read victim impact statements describing the unending trauma this incident has caused them.
"I’m thankful that I had such amazing family members and friends by my side through it all and that by the grace of God, I am standing here today. But I will always carry the scars, the chronic pain, and the limp, a permanent reminder of what you caused," Ring said.
"It takes a conscious, deliberate effort to make it through the day without breaking down. People always say, ‘Sorry for your loss. I cannot imagine what you must be going through.’ No parent should have the constant, daily burden of outliving their child," Tim Steger, Isabel’s father, said.