Leniency Urged for Trucker Sentenced to 110 Years

Employees clear particles from the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 on April 26, 2019, in Lakewood, Colo., following a lethal pileup involving a semi-truck hauling lumber. A truck driver who was convicted of inflicting the fiery pileup that killed 4 individuals and injured six others on Interstate 70 west of Denver was sentenced Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, to 110 years in jail. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos was convicted in October of vehicular murder and different expenses stemming from the April 2019 crash.

AP Picture/David Zalubowski, File

DENVER (AP) — An internet petition has gathered thousands and thousands of signatures calling for leniency for a 26-year-old truck driver who was sentenced to 110 years in jail for vehicular murder in an explosive accident on the base of a Colorado mountain freeway that killed 4 individuals in 2019.

Extra than 4.5 million individuals had signed the change.org petition urging Gov. Jared Polis to grant clemency or commute Rogel Aguilera-Mederos’ sentence by Tuesday, The Denver Gazette experiences. Truckers nationwide have voiced outrage over the sentence on Twitter, utilizing the hashtags #NoTrucksToColorado and #NoTrucksColorado, amongst others.

The Democratic governor’s workplace mentioned it will welcome an software, whereas Aguilera-Mederos’ lawyer advised KDVR-TV {that a} request might take time as a result of the sentence was simply handed down Dec. 13.

Aguilera-Mederos was convicted in October of vehicular murder and different expenses stemming from the April 25, 2019, crash. He testified that he was hauling lumber when the brakes on his semitrailer failed as he was descending a steep grade of Interstate 70 within the Rocky Mountain foothills.

His truck plowed into automobiles that had slowed due to one other wreck within the Denver suburb of Lakewood. He was touring at the least 85 mph (137 kph) on part of the interstate the place business automobiles are restricted to 45 mph (72 kph).

The chain-reaction wreck involving 28 automobiles ruptured gasoline tanks, inflicting a fireball that consumed automobiles and melted components of the freeway.

Prosecutors argued that as Aguilera-Mederos’ truck barreled down from the mountains, he might have used a runaway ramp alongside the interstate that’s designed to soundly cease automobiles which have misplaced their brakes. Aguilera-Mederos testified he was struggling to keep away from site visitors and to shift his truck into decrease gears to gradual it down.

In imposing the sentence, District Court docket Choose Bruce Jones mentioned it was the necessary minimal time period set forth beneath state legislation — and instructed a lesser punishment was warranted. Obligatory minimal sentencing legal guidelines required that sentences on 27 counts of vehicular assault, assault, reckless driving and different expenses run consecutively.

“I’ll state that if I had the discretion, it will not be my sentence,” the decide mentioned.

First Judicial District Legal professional Alexis King, whose workplace prosecuted the case, filed a movement asking the court docket to schedule a listening to to rethink the sentence, her workplace mentioned Tuesday. The movement states that Colorado legislation permits reconsideration “in an distinctive case involving uncommon and extenuating circumstances” however did not elaborate.

Prosecutors are consulting with victims within the case to get their enter previous to any proceedings, the movement states.

King had mentioned after sentencing she would welcome a reconsideration of the punishment. However she additionally advised The Denver Publish that Aguilera-Mederos didn’t settle for efforts to barter a plea deal, and that the convictions acknowledged the hurt triggered to victims of the crash.

Polis’ workplace issued a press release saying that “we welcome an software from Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos and can expedite consideration however have not obtained one but at the moment.”

Aguilera-Mederos’ lawyer, James Colgan, advised The Publish he intends to attraction the jury’s verdict and that any software for clemency or leniency must wait pending that attraction. Amongst different components, an software requires enter from the Division of Corrections.

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.

Kinfolk of victims mentioned at Aguilera-Mederos’ sentencing he ought to serve time for the crimes.

Duane Bailey, the brother of William Bailey, requested the decide to condemn Aguilera-Mederos to at the least 20 years, the Publish reported. “He made a deliberate and intentional resolution that his life was extra vital than everybody else on the highway that day,” Bailey mentioned.

Bailey’s spouse, Gage Evans, advised The New York Instances the motive force’s sentence should not be commuted however that lawmakers ought to as an alternative look at the sentencing legal guidelines.

“This particular person ought to spend a while in jail and take into consideration his actions,” Evans mentioned, including she and different victims’ family members object to a “public narrative” that Aguilera-Mederos is a sufferer. “We’re actually the victims,” she mentioned.

Aguilera-Mederos wept as he apologized to the victims’ households at his sentencing. He requested for his or her forgiveness.

“I am not a assassin. I’m not a killer. Once I take a look at my expenses, we’re speaking a couple of assassin, which isn’t me,” he mentioned. “I’ve by no means thought of hurting anyone in my whole life.”