Heather Tapia Sentenced

Posted on 4/15/2021

Defendant:

Heather Tapia of Columbus was sentenced Wednesday, April 14 by Judge Sheryl K. Munson in the July 2018 crash that killed Audrey Gartin of Phoenix, who was 39 at the time of her death. After the crash, Tapia fled to Florida and began using an alias. She was subsequently apprehended in April 2019.

Tapia, 49, plead guilty to one count of aggravated vehicular homicide, a felony in the first degree, and one count of operating a vehicle under the influence, a felony in the third degree, with an OVI specification. Because of the circumstances involved in the wreck and that this was Tapia’s ninth OVI, there was a joint recommendation that she serve a total of 14 years in prison, with 12 years of that being mandatory time. Judge Munson imposed additional sanctions on Tapia. While in prison, she has been ordered to undergo treatment, and she will be unable to obtain a driver’s license in the future.

“Audrey’s family is relieved that Ms. Tapia is finally willing to accept responsibility in this matter,” said Keith McGrath, the assigned Assistant Prosecutor on the case. “Now, for them, the healing process can begin.”