Arizona woman turns 22

PHOENIX – An Arizona woman who struck oncoming traffic while driving drunk two years ago, killing her toddler, was recently sentenced to more than 22 years in prison, authorities announced Tuesday.

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Andrea Crespin’s 2-year-old daughter died and two occupants of another vehicle were seriously injured in the head-on collision on Interstate 10 southeast of Tucson.

Crespin was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-10 in Vail on Aug. 14, 2022, when her Mazda sedan collided with a Toyota sedan, DPS said. A Volkswagen sedan was also hit.

Crespin’s child, who was not wearing a seatbelt in the front passenger seat, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two adults in the Toyota were seriously injured in the collision. Two children in the Toyota and the driver of the Volkswagen were not injured.

Why was an Arizona woman prosecuted for a fatal wrong-way accident?

A blood test conducted after the counter-accident revealed Crespin’s alcohol content was three times over the legal limit, DPS said.

Investigators used evidence, witness statements and computer data from Crespin’s car to determine the reason for her arrest.

DPS tracked her to an apartment in Chandler and took her into custody in July 2023.

She was initially charged with 16 offenses in connection with the fatal oncoming crash before pleading guilty to three counts.

Crespin was sentenced on September 23 this year to consecutive sentences of 12 years for manslaughter, 10 years for grievous bodily harm and four months for drink driving.

Considering time served, she is expected to be released in December 2042 if she serves the entire sentence, according to prison records.

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