Boone County, Ind. – A woman involved in a devastating drunk-driving crash in Boone County has pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges nearly three years after the incident left one man dead and two others permanently injured. Prosecutors say the case underscores the lasting consequences of impaired driving on Indiana roadways.
Guilty Plea Entered in Fatal 2023 Crash
The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Jessica Carapia-Cortez entered guilty pleas this week to several Level 4 felony charges stemming from the crash. The incident occurred on Sept. 23, 2023, along State Road 39 in Boone County.
According to court records, Carapia-Cortez admitted responsibility for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and with an alcohol concentration equivalent (ACE) above the legal limit of 0.08, leading to a fatal chain-reaction collision involving three vehicles.
Timeline of Events Leading to the Collision
Investigators determined that Carapia-Cortez was driving a passenger vehicle northbound on State Road 39 when her vehicle veered off the right shoulder of the roadway. As she attempted to re-enter traffic, she crossed the center line and struck the rear of another vehicle.
The force of that impact proved fatal.
The driver of the second vehicle, Michael Weber, suffered critical injuries and later died as a result of the crash. After the initial collision, Carapia-Cortez’s vehicle continued forward and collided with the front driver’s side of a third vehicle traveling southbound.
Victims Suffered Life-Altering Injuries
Two passengers riding in Carapia-Cortez’s vehicle sustained what prosecutors described as “catastrophic and permanent injuries.” The victims were identified as Adolfo Vasquez-Sanchez and Judith Ortiz-Sanchez.
Authorities said both individuals are now wholly disabled, requiring continuous assistance for all aspects of daily living. Medical evaluations confirmed the injuries were irreversible and directly linked to the collision.
Evidence of Intoxication at the Scene
Law enforcement officers responding to the crash scene reported that Carapia-Cortez exhibited visible signs of intoxication shortly after the collision. Officers also detected a strong odor of alcohol, prompting further investigation.
Subsequent testing confirmed that Carapia-Cortez’s blood alcohol concentration exceeded 0.08, Indiana’s legal limit for operating a motor vehicle. These findings formed the basis for the multiple intoxication-related felony charges.
Breakdown of Felony Charges
As part of the plea agreement, Carapia-Cortez pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- Causing Death When Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated
- Causing Death When Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or More
- Two counts of Causing Catastrophic Injury When Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated
- Two counts of Causing Catastrophic Injury When Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or More
Each charge carries significant prison exposure under Indiana law.
Prosecutor Addresses the Impact of the Crash
Boone County Deputy Prosecutor Kelsey Lenox addressed the emotional and physical toll of the crash in a statement following the plea.
“Mr. Weber lost his life, and Adolfo Vasquez-Sanchez and Judith Ortiz-Sanchez sustained catastrophic, permanent injuries that have left them wholly disabled and dependent on others for all aspects of daily living. With today’s plea, the defendant has formally acknowledged her guilt for the devastation she caused.”
Sentencing Scheduled for April
Carapia-Cortez is scheduled to be sentenced on April 9 in Boone Superior Court 2. The court will consider the severity of the offenses, the loss of life, and the lasting injuries to the surviving victims when determining the final sentence.
Under Indiana law, Level 4 felony convictions can result in up to 12 years in prison, depending on sentencing factors and whether terms are ordered to run consecutively.
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