"The Governor and his team review each clemency application individually," Victoria Graham, the deputy press secretary, said in an email. When asked about the case, a spokesperson from Governor Polis' office told CBS News they were aware of the issue. James Colgan, an attorney for Aguilera-Mederos, told CBS Denver on Thursday that an appeal is planned in the case. Investigators with the Lakewood Police Department said no alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash, according to CBS Denver. "He was found guilty of reckless behavior that killed my husband that was the most important thing to me," Gage Evans said. William Bailey's widow told CBS Denver that Aguilera-Mederos deserved a prison sentence and was relieved at the jury's verdict. but he made a series of terrible decisions - reckless decisions," the judge said. "I accept and respect what the defendant has said. But under guidelines set by the law, his sentence could be no less than 110 years. It is a very sad life because four people died," he said tearfully, adding that he wished he had died rather than the four who did.ĭuring sentencing, the judge acknowledged that Aguilera-Mederos didn't intend to harm anyone. Rogel Aguilera-Mederosīefore he was sentenced, Aguilera-Mederos told CBS Denver he tried his best to avoid the vehicles stopped on the road, but couldn't avoid them all. The crash killed 24-year-old Miguel Angel Lamas Arellano, 67-year-old William Bailey 61-year-old Doyle Harrison and 69-year-old Stanley Politano.Īguilera-Mederos was ultimately convicted of 27 counts, including vehicular homicide. The highway was shut down in both directions for roughly 24 hours, according to the station. He then crashed into several cars stopped on eastbound I-70 in Lakewood, sparking a massive fire. He passed one of the state's runaway truck ramps as he descended from the mountains, a point the prosecution focused heavily on during the trial. In April 2019, the truck Aguilera-Mederos was driving lost its brakes, CBS Denver reported. Heather Gilbee, the author of the petition wrote, "We are not trying to make it seem any less of a tragic accident that it is because yes, lives were lost." By Friday, more than 3.4 million people had signed a petition, asking Colorado Governor Jared Polis to grant clemency to Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, or commutation for time served. "There is an urgency to remedy this unjust sentence and restore confidence in the uniformity and fairness of our criminal justice system, and consequently I have chosen to commute your sentence now," Polis wrote.Millions support reducing trucker's prison sentence 02:03Ī truck driver was sentenced earlier this week to 110 years in prison for a 2019 crash that left four people dead and several others injured in Colorado. The governor said the case would hopefully spur a discussion about sentencing laws, but he noted any future changes would not help Aguilera-Mederos. In a letter to Aguilera-Mederos explaining his decision, Polis said that while he was not blameless in the crash, the 110-year sentence was disproportionate when compared with inmates who committed intentional, premeditated or violent crimes. The crash killed 24-year-old Miguel Angel Lamas Arellano, 67-year-old William Bailey, 61-year-old Doyle Harrison and 69-year-old Stanley Politano. Prosecutors had argued that as Aguilera-Mederos' truck barrelled down from the mountains, he could have used a runaway ramp alongside the interstate that is designed to safely stop vehicles that have lost their brakes. 13 after finding it was the mandatory minimum term set forth under state law, noting it would not have been his choice. Judge Bruce Jones imposed the 110-year sentence on Dec. His truck plowed into vehicles that had slowed because of another wreck, setting off a chain-reaction crash and a fireball that consumed vehicles and melted parts of the highway. The move comes days after a judge scheduled a hearing for next month to reconsider the sentence at the request of the district attorney, who planned to ask that it be reduced to 20 to 30 years.Īround 5 million people signed an online petition seeking clemency for Aguilera-Mederos, who was convicted of vehicular homicide and other charges in an explosive pileup that killed four people in 2019.Īguilera-Mederos testified that he was hauling lumber when the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. The decision on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos' sentence was among several year-end commutations and pardons issued by Polis. Canceled Tik Tok creator, thedisrespectedtrucker3 and other social media users have organized a nationwide trucker strike. Jared Polis on Thursday shortened the prison sentence of a truck driver convicted in a deadly crash to 10 years, drastically reducing his original 110-year term that drew widespread outrage. Tomorrow, Truckers across the United States will stop driving their trucks for at least one day to fight against vaccine mandates.
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