Mary Noel Kruppe, 37, of Pearblossom, was convicted Feb. 3 of one count each of second-degree murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
Kruppe was the principal at Enterprise Elementary School in Lancaster at the time of the Nov. 15, 2018, crash.
Kruppe was driving her 2014 Jeep Wrangler southbound on 50th Street East, north of Avenue P, when she veered left into oncoming traffic, according to evidence presented at the trial. This caused a head-on collision with a Mazda being driven in the opposite direction by Jessica Ordaz, 29, of Lancaster, who died of her injuries.
Kruppe was taken to a hospital for treatment of moderate injuries.
Kruppe’s blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.19 percent — more than twice the legal limit — two hours after the crash, according to Deputy District Attorney Thomas Hilton.
She was arrested that night by California Highway Patrol investigators and has remained behind bars since then, according to jail records.
Previous related stories:
Former school principal convicted of murder for DUI crash
Lancaster principal pleads not guilty in deadly alleged DUI crash
Local elementary school principal charged with murder in fatal DUI crash
Lancaster woman killed in head-on crash with suspected DUI driver
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Sandy S. says
Mary Kruppe was reckless across the board. Ms. Kruppe’s cavalier behavior as a Vice Principal along with her cohort Francisco Pinto was an indicator that she was an irresponsible, selfish, sociopath who thought she was above the law. I’m glad she will be serving a long time for stealing and ruining lives.
Nay Elizabeth says
Anybody know where her new residence is?
Emotional says
Hahahaha LOL I jumped with emotion this woman got years in prison. With luck, she won’t come out. Don’t throw your Bible or your stupid comments. Let’s wait for someone in your family to die by a drunk driver than speak.. very emotional she got what’s coming to her in there.
You have your opinion and dumb comment I can have mine.
Susy says
She got what she deserves. My heart goes out to the Ordaz family.
Thank you says
Wow, I am seriously impressed. this is some of the most knowledgeable and level headed comments that I have seen on this site in a long time. “a friend”, “mike” and “Michelle Egberts” I appreciate your insight and commend you for speaking on the subject without being clouded by emotions and ignorance. this was a tragedy for everyone involved, but being ignorant and popping off like a five-dollar shotgun does nothing to further us as a society.
Modelovirus says
Please give the girl a break, she has lost everything and now has to live with the fact that she killed an innocent human, and yet, the people who sell alcoholic poison are sitting in their mansions right now, and not caring about any of us…
Nobreak says
Give a girl a break???! She took the life of a young woman. Only Daughter. Only sister. The young girls family lost everything when Mary Kruppe took her life. No breaks for that girl as you call her. Mary Kruppe gets to live. Mary Kruppe get to see her kids. Mary Kruppe gets to see her family. She drove under the influence many times. No break for her just the same as the Ordaz family cannot get their daughter back.
She’s getting what she deserves. No less no more.
A Friend says
Add one –
The appeal is for the murder conviction, not to alter the verdict on manslaughter. Under the law, there is no requisite intent and murder should not have been the charge. That is precisely why the prosecutor added the manslaughter charge just before trial.
Murder was the Case says
“Murder was the case that they gave her”
For planning on drinking and driving on a Thursday at 6pm right after work and after a principals meeting and hanging around with the “wrong crowd” alcohol level twice the legal limit.. yes, she premeditated her drinking and driving.. heck she’s didn’t wanna pay for an Uber because she lived in Pearblossom and she would have to pay like what, $20… Yikes pearblossom so far faraway from where she was on ave K in lancaster hanging around with who knows whom… Dinking and driving.. people get an Uber, a friend, heck drink one and go home and drinks tons more… it’s not worth the pain, the loss of lives, your freedom!!!!
A Friend says
I don’t disagree with your sentiment. Unfortunately, the law has specific requirements that don’t care about your sentiments and your rant. If those requirements are not met, murder cannot be charged. Which is precisely why the prosecutor added manslaughter just prior to trial – to cover his butt.
Even if her appeal is successful, the 10 yr sentence stands.
A Friend says
A lot of misinformation on here. A lot. And I agree, much of it hate-filled. Unless you are related to the victim, you have zero basis for such hate.
For the record – there were no priors and there was exactly zero evidence that she had done this before. And no, the 15 + 10 does not mean 25 before she gets parole. Michelle Egnerts has an excellent post on this. How about for a change we give up trolling and try to have serious, helpful conversation?
It has been years, but I know I have driven when I shouldn’t have. I got lucky. But I put reckless speeders who fly in and out in the same category.
I would hope and pray that I could find it in my heart to forgive someone if my family fell victim in this way. I would hope that I would not seek the hate I have seen on here. Such hate can never bring back your loved one, and will never bring you peace.
As Michelle stated so well, Jessica’s life was not in vain. And though she is not here, the Lord is celebrating her return to him.
Honesty says
A Friend, Let’s hope you or your family don’t fall victim to a drunk driver. I promise you, your mentally will change in a heart beat. Your world will change for ever and you will truly know what hatred really is. You will hate the drunk driver who took the life of your love one for ever.
RIP Jessica
A Friend says
I can only imagine what the family has and is going through. I assume you are a member of that family. I don’t know how I would respond, which is why I said I can only hope and pray.
That said I can say only this –
In my professional and personal life I have met many people who have been through similar. In every case – and I do mean each and every one – those who found it in their hearts to forgive are the ones who found peace. Those who reached for hate and vengeance remained bitter forever.
We have been forgiven much by a loving God. He asks us to also forgive much.
I am truly, truly sorry for your loss. I hope that some day you can find peace.
Michelle Egberts says
As one who has posted too many times to count on numerous articles published in AV Times as a formerly incarcerated activist/advocate/local organizer, I’ll continue to say “WE’RE ALL ONE BAD CHOICE FROM HAVING A CRIMINAL RECORD.” From reading these comments posted, I commend all of you for speaking up in a public forum as this, 1st Amendment- Freedom of Speach. Unfortunately, on February 3, 2018 a life was lost too soon (Jessica Ordaz) by a bad choice of Mary Kruppe, an elementary school principal with a lot of victims of her crime left behind i.e. family, friends, co-workers, faculty/students. Jessica’s life will not be in vain as it can be used a benefit from the young elementay students to the inmates in state prison where Mary will be housed. Her sentence of 15 to Life means she will not be eligible for a parole suitablity hearing until 12.75 years (85% due to it being a serious/violent offense) is served and the 3-panel Board of Prison Hearings determine she is either suitable to be paroled or not, which there are a LOT of determining factors i.e. prison behavior, victim family presence of victim’s faily members and their feelings as well as the district attorney’s position, work/programming etc. Thanks to the passage of AB 900 in 2007 AKA the Public Safety and Offender Rehabilitation Services Act turned California Department of California into California Department of Corrections & REHABILITATION, funding/offering many rehabilitation/reentry program opportunities to the prison population into the prison system. During Ms. Kruppe’s incarceration she will be classified and mandated to participate in the Substance Abuse Program (SAP) and work which with her education background will assign her to the education department. Plus, she can tutor inmates on the side if she chooses tooAny incoming funds and inmate pay will garnished at 55% that will first be used to pay the court fees/fines she was assessed (approx. $400) to be paid first and once that is paid then it will go towards the victim restitution. Now, this is where I disagree with the courts putting themselves before the victim restitution. However, the Michael Antonovich Courthouse is a for-profit courthouse :( I give credit to AV-Head Deputy District Attorney Bob Sherwood and Deputy District Attorney Thomas Hilton for the plea bargain offered/accepted of 15 to Life by Ms. Kruppe as she prevented the pain of the victim’s family having to relive the pain of the tragic night with a trial. As for Ms Kruppe’s faculty and students, this tragic event surely impacted them all. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Rest in Peace Jessica, your death is not in vain and my condolences to your family and friends.
Mike says
Our laws are out of control. It’s wild to say that she intended on killing someone, which is what’s required to prove (Intent) a murder charge. I’m in no way condoning her actions. I believe she should get a heavy sentence, but life? This highlights society’s insatiable thirst for vicious punishment. There are other ways to levy justice and impose sanctions meant to curb this from happening again. Do they think that by locking her up for ever that it will fix the problem?
Here’s something you all need to remember: When you get into your vehicle and take on the open road, you accept the very real risk that you will lose your life on the road. There are a number of dangers associated with driving that take people’s lives every day. This is just another one of them.
Troll says
She got life and well deserved. Not the first time drinking and driving. She got many opportunities to stop her sick behavior and it didn’t. The result of her actions and decisions hurt a family forever by taking the life of their only daughter. She hurt many other families. Hurt her own family so deeply and forever hurt her own children. This woman deserves what she got. I am sorry for her family but their better off without her.
RIP Jessica
Ron says
I wonder how much time she will SERVE? Does 15 really mean 15?
Alexis says
Ron: 15 to life means she will have to serve at least 15 years before she is eligible for parole, but can be kept for up to life.
Life says
She got 15 for murder and 10 for manslaughter will have to serve 15 before she can try for parole
A Friend says
This is not correct. The penalties are concurrent .ot consecutive.
Sanbol says
You are exactly right…most of the posts here are from blood thirsty sanctimonious idiots who if we put under a microscope would see that they have more than once driven while drunk. The Bible puts it this way…You hypocrite take the plank from your eye so you may see more clearly the speck in your brother’s eye…..this is a sad case…..
Ours Now says
You people and your Bible. You are the most sick ever. Where was her Bible when she kept on drinking and driving and going around with certain people too drinking and driving. Her Christian behind forgot the Bible. Has nothing todo with the Bible. That woman is just a sick disgusting individual. Deserves what she’s getting and it has nothing to with blood thirsty people. We want justice. We got it and we will keep it.
A Friend says
What this has to do with the Bible is our response, not her actions. Her error does not give us permission to hate.
Nick says
Ch 7 news video.
Uber Uber says
Whoa.. crazy stuff. This lady is crazy. Priors, has bad rep, and ask for an appeal even before getting her sentence smh no shame
Get Uber people
Tom says
The truth is she’ll be out in 6-8 years, a guy last year was released after 8 years served who was sentenced 20 years for his DUI manslaughter accident in Palmdale years ago. No one really does their full time in manslaughter cases. Good behavior takes time off, classes offered in prison to better ones self looks good, incarceration before and during the trial is credited towards the time, then prison overcrowding plays a big part as well. She’ll most likely come out with a PhD seeing that she already has a master’s degree which will help her in an early release. Sadly all paid from our tax dollars shell end up living a good life. She can and will have a civil lawsuit, but being locked up with pennies earned a day while incarcerated she won’t make any real payments to the family, and after she gets released she’ll file bankruptcy and or move to a state that wont allow garnished wages after she finds a good bankruptcy attorney the civil award due goes away. All she’ll get at most is a 1099 the year after and pay Uncle Sam interest on the wiped debt owed. The family has a better chance of getting money from the school district she worked for seeing her drinking took place during a work meeting. If the story is true.
A Friend says
Not correct. No priors. Bad rep? According to whom? And her atty is appealing the murder charge on a legal basis since there was not the requisite intent. It would mean the difference between serving another 7 or so years vs another 11 more years.
Wouldn’t you appeal?
Big Mama says
Can’t a girl get her drank on?
Designated Driver says
Yes a girl can get her drank on. Get an Uber home!
Little Mama says
Purple Drank?
Control says
Yes a girl can get a drank on, get an Uber home so you don’t end up killing someone .. have some control.
Twice The Limit says
Sure get your drank on.. but not twice the legal limit. Go home and drink at home with your significant other, Big mama.
CannotBelieve says
Kruppe’s blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.19 percent — more than twice the legal limit — two hours after the crash, according to Deputy District Attorney Thomas Hilton.
On a Thursday night 6pm.. right after a work meeting!!!! Shocking…..
Loaded says
At least Mary won’t be able to drive under in influence for fifteen years.
RIP says
Mary ruined her life. Her choices affected so many people. So many signs to stopped her bad choices but refused to see them. Now her own family forever changed.
I pray for the Ordaz family. Justice has been served. RIP Beautiful Jessica
Finally says
Correction..25 years. She got 15 for murder and 10 for manslaughter.
frank euegene says
After first DUI , She should know better …2nd DUI and off to prison for many years..
Shocking says
25 years to be exact , before parole
15 for murder, 10 for manslaughter
A Friend says
Not correct. When did not have a prior duo.
A Friend says
Sorry for the typos.
She did not have a prior dui.
Ron says
She’s screwed. Most likely get sued too.
Yes! says
Totally screwed. She will be sued for sure. What’s waste…
Mike says
Doesn’t seem like 15 years is enough. She chose to drive drunk and murdered someone. 15 years is not nearly enough.
Mike says
It’s funny how you chose to read what you want. She got 15 years to life. That’s a life sentence in this state bucko.
Justice says
Hey mike bucko, you’re back!
15 for murder and 10 for manslaughter. Your girlfriend is staying in there for a while. Enjoy. We hate her so much you have no idea. Loser drunk driver. We are happy… justice….
RIPJessica.