Colorado truck driver sentenced to 110 years for fatal accident erases century from jail time

Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos

Colorado truck driver sentenced to 110 years for fatal accident erases century from jail time

A flash of light has reached its zenith in the case of the truck driver Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos.

The trucker in Lakewood, Colorado who made a sudden turn on Interstate 70 and tragically killed four people will not spend the rest of his life in prison.

Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was expected to spend 110 years behind bars for the fatal crash that took place in 2019. In October, he was found guilty of 27 counts, with one of them being felony. vehicle homicide.

Governor of Colorado Jared Polis is the driving force behind having Aguilera-Mederos’s sentence is shaved off. He enforced a letter of clemency and an executive order, which earned him a shortened sentence. Former truck drivers will be eligible for a pardon on December 30, 2026.

The development was announced on Thursday (December 30).

Polis stated in his leniency letter:

“You have been sentenced to 110 years in prison, more realistic than a life sentence, for a tragic but unintentional act,”

He continued:

“While you are not innocent, your sentence is disproportionate compared with many other prisoners in our criminal justice system who have committed intentional, premeditated or violent crimes.”

He concluded:

“There is an urgent need to address this unjust conviction and restore confidence in the integrity and fairness of our criminal justice system, and therefore, I have chosen to reduce your sentence now.”

Reality star and aspiring lawyer Kim Kardashian–who initiated a change in Aguilera-Mederos’s case– Shared a celebratory Tweet.

“Thanks @GovofCO.”

About 28 vehicles were involved in the crash. At least 10 people are believed to have been treated at a nearby hospital. Aguilera-Mederos, who suffered minor injuries, was also taken to the hospital. He was later arrested and sent to the Jefferson County Jail. Reports say that Rogel, a Cuban immigrant, spoke to his brother and told him that brake failure was the cause of the accident.

The daughter of one of the victims told the judge that she hopes Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos received a lighter sentence so her son wouldn’t suffer like she did.

“I know I won’t be able to have a father for the rest of my life, but I hope that the defendant’s son can for the rest of his life.”

Do you think Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos deserves a lighter sentence? Please leave your comments and let us know.

[Source: 1, 2]