Woman sentenced for deadly impaired driving crash in Rochester

Rochester, N.Y. — A driver who caused a deadly head-on crash last year on the city's northeast side was sentenced Thursday. Tashara Willis is set to serve between 12 1/2 and 25 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty last month to aggravated vehicular homicide for a crash early April 2, 2025 on Clifford Avenue near Sixth Street, according to the Monroe County District Attorney's Office. Police said Willis was heading west on Clifford when she crossed the double yellow line into oncoming traffic and struck a vehicle being driven by 58-year-old Otis Johnson of Rochester, who died shortly after arriving at a local hospital. Willis was also seriously hurt and was hospitalized for several weeks. Investigators determined Willis had left a nearby bar shortly before the crash and was driving more than 80 miles per hour alongside another car, while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Police said Willis — who had her license revoked due to two prior DWI convictions and 24 scoffs on eight separate occasions —was found with more than 20 bags of cocaine after the crash. An indictment that was unsealed May 21, 2025 charged Willis with: Two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide Manslaughter Felony DWI DWI exceeding .08% Driving while ability impaired by drugs DWAI with combined drugs and alcohol Two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance Two counts of aggravated unlicensed operation Violation of ignition interlock device Willis' sentence also resolves an unrelated second-degree criminal possession of a weapon charge, the DA's office said.