A judge in California sentenced a 49-year-old woman to six years in prison for causing a fatal car accident by sending text messages while driving.

Deborah Matis-Engle was convicted in March of gross vehicular manslaughter for slamming into the back of another car that was stopped due to a construction on California's Highway 44 in 2007. The crash killed 46-year-old Petra Winn, local CBS affiliate KHSTV reported.

The judge ruled that Matis-Engle must serve half her sentence before she will be eligible for parole, the TV station said.

Police said Matis-Engle was paying bills via he cellphone moments before the crash.