Twenty months after she struck and killed a motorcyclist in Maricopa, Dena Paige Devine pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of liquor or drugs, closing a chapter in a legal saga that once entailed far more serious criminal allegations. 

The 54-year-old Homestead woman entered her plea Sept. 23 in Maricopa Municipal Court as part of a negotiated deal with prosecutors. In exchange for that guilty plea, two other counts were dismissed: DUI involving a controlled substance and reckless driving.  

Devine was sentenced to probation, ordered to complete screening and treatment, and ordered to pay more than $3,000 in fines and fees. The court also imposed a brief jail term, which has already been served. A case-status review is scheduled for Oct. 30 to confirm compliance with the judge’s orders and verify remaining payments. 

The plea effectively ends the DUI prosecution, but it leaves lingering questions about how a case that once spelled felony charges — even manslaughter — was reduced to a simple misdemeanor conviction. 

The case stems from a January 2024 crash at Honeycutt Road and Continental Boulevard, when Devine’s 2020 Subaru Outback collided with a motorcycle driven by 47-year-old Mesa resident Jordan Piergrossi. Investigators said Devine had been drinking and consuming cannabis earlier that evening before attempting a left turn that resulted in a violent collision.  

Piergrossi died instantly of blunt-force injuries. Photos later released by Maricopa Police Department showed extensive damage to both vehicles and grisly details from the crash scene.

Devine admitted to having four beers and a marijuana edible before getting behind the wheel, according to police reports. Officers at the scene noted a strong odor of alcohol and observed that she appeared unsteady on her feet during field-sobriety testing. Blood samples were taken for testing by the Arizona Department of Public Safety crime lab, though the results were delayed for months because of statewide backlogs. 

Public frustration mounted as months passed without significant charges. By mid 2024, InMaricopa obtained and published newly released police reports. In Beer, weed and chicken salad, InMaricopa revealed Devine’s own statements and the discovery of alcohol in her vehicle. 

When a Pinal County grand jury later threw out a felony DUI indictment in superior court, the decision sparked outrage. Kent Volkmer, the county attorney, acknowledged the rarity of such an outcome but vowed to continue pursuing justice, promising manslaughter and DUI charges in city court. 

Still, as the case advanced, more elements quietly disappeared. By early 2025, the matter had narrowed to misdemeanor DUI and reckless-driving counts, with no homicide or felony charges remaining, a move that shocked victims’ families and former complainants alike. 

In January, Judge Stephen McCarville ordered Devine not to consume alcohol, marijuana or THC-infused products. She was assigned to the Pinal County jail two weeks ago and has since been released.

“She is not in our custody at the moment,” Pinal County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sam Salzwedel confirmed this afternoon.