A Mexican man was sentenced Tuesday to nearly 23 years in prison for causing a crash that killed an 8-month-old fetus and injured the unborn child’s mother.
Judge Howard Fell sentenced Carlos A. Frasquillo to 10.5 years for manslaughter in the April 16 death of the fetus and a consecutive 7.5 years for aggravated assault on the mother, who suffered severe injuries.
The Pima County Superior Court judge also handed down sentences for another aggravated assault charge, aggravated driving with illegal drugs in his system, criminal damage, fleeing law enforcement vehicles and four endangerment counts that add almost six years to Frasquillo’s other sentences.
The total sentence amounts to 22.75 years.
Frasquillo was fleeing law enforcement vehicles northbound on South Houghton Road when the collision occurred. About three miles north of Interstate 10, he pulled into the southbound lane to pass a car and collided head-on with the vehicle carrying the pregnant woman and her husband.
Frasquillo apologized to the victims before sentencing.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “If I could give my life, if you could take my life to get your baby back, take it. Take it.”
Frasquillo, 23, must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he’s eligible for release.
Upon his release from prison, Frasquillo will be deported to Mexico, Fell said.