Multnomah County, OR. — A Portland woman who drove drunk and killed another person in a wrong-way crash has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.
Sixty-year-old Rosa Victalina Hitzfeld pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, Assault in the Third Degree, and Driving Under the Influence of an Intoxicant. Hitzfeld had two prior DUII convictions and one prior DUII diversion.
Multnomah County Circuit Judge Jenna Plank sentenced Hitzfeld to 90 months in prison for the October 13, 2024 crash on Fairview Parkway. Investigators said Hitzfeld drove the wrong way down the parkway after turning from Glisan Street with a blood alcohol level of approximately 0.18. She struck a vehicle driven by Michael Abbate, whose wife Vicki Abbate and mother Marcia Abbate were passengers. Marcia Abbate died from her injuries.
Deputy District Attorney Andrew Wood prosecuted the case, stating after sentencing:
“This was an extremely tragic and difficult incident for the Abbate family to process. The Abbate’s lost a loved one at the hands of a drunk driver, yet they showed a tremendous amount of strength throughout the process and compassion for the defendant. I hope that the sentence imposed by Judge Plank provides the Abbate family with a sense that justice has been served.”
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office thanked Sheriff’s Deputy Gery Fiebich for leading the investigation and victim advocate Allison Miller for their care and support to the victims.
About the Author
