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Brooklyn resident Qualasia Willis, age 29, was sentenced to five to 15 years in state prison for her role in the death of 22-year-old Isabel Steger on April 9, 2023, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Thursday, March 13.
On the day of the crash at around 4:30 a.m., Willis was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of I-87 in Yonkers for approximately four miles before she collided head-on with a vehicle driven by Steger, prosecutors said.
Steger was pronounced dead at NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester in Bronxville. Her passenger, Julia Ring, survived the crash but suffered debilitating injuries that will impact her for life.
Authorities determined Willis had a blood-alcohol content of .14% at the time of the crash, nearly twice the legal limit of .08% in New York State.
Willis pleaded guilty in November 2024 to aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree vehicular assault, and driving while intoxicated.
During sentencing, victim impact statements from Steger’s family and Ring underscored the devastation caused by the crash.
Julia Ring, who survived the collision, spoke about the physical and emotional scars she now carries:
"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," she said.
Steger's father described the unbearable grief of losing his daughter:
"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," he said.
After her death, Steger was described by loved ones as a "one-of-a-kind soul" who was "incredibly funny, sweet to many, caring, adventurous, loving, loud, fun and definitely spontaneous," as Daily Voice reported at the time.
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