Driver sentenced 22 years for GCU students' deaths

Vincent Ian Acosta, 27, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for a wrong-way crash that killed three Grand Canyon University students on October 6, 2022. Acosta pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder, with his blood alcohol content exceeding the legal limit at the time of the incident. The crash occurred on Interstate 17 and involved four vehicles, resulting in the immediate deaths of two students, while a third succumbed to injuries later. The sentencing was initially delayed due to judicial objections regarding the plea agreement. GCU identified the victims as Abriauna Hoffman, Elaine Hunter Balberdi, and Magdalyn Ogden. Acosta's case highlights the severe consequences of impaired driving.