Fatal Crash While Texting Leads to Six-Year Sentence

Here is a prime example of why California enacted its "no texting while driving" law. Deborah Matis-Engle, 49, was speeding and text messaging when she slammed into vehicles stopped at a construction zone on Aug. 13, 2007. 46-year-old Petra Winn was killed.

During the trial, phone company records showed that Redding, CA resident Matis-Engle was texting when she crashed at 66 mph into a line of cars. Winn's car burst into flames, and she was burned alive.

In fact, Shasta County prosecutor Stephanie Bridgett said Matis-Engle had paid several bills by cell phone in the moments before the crash. She was in the middle of another transaction when she slammed into the line of cars.

Talk about distracted. Even moreso than normal texting. According to reports, Matis-Engle will have to serve three years before applying for parole. Her attorney plans to appeal both the manslaughter conviction and the sentence.