DA’s office asks court for new sentencing of 20-30 years for truck driver in I-70 crash

GOLDEN, Colo. (KRDO) -- Thursday, the First Judicial District Attorney's Office released a statement saying the office plans on asking the court to consider a new sentencing range for the truck driver sentenced to more than a century in prison for causing a crash on Interstate 70, killing four people.

Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced to 110 years in prison after he was convicted of vehicular homicide and multiple counts of assault.

Since his sentencing, more than four million people have signed a petition to reduce his sentence. His lawyers also filed a clemency request with the governor's office.

Now, the DA's office is asking Aguilera-Mederos be sentenced to 20-30 years

Below is a statement released by the First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King:

“Based on the facts of this case and input from the victims and their families, my office will be asking the court to consider a sentencing range of 20-30 years when the Court is prepared to address resentencing. As the jury found, Mr. Aguilera-Mederos knowingly made multiple active choices that resulted in the death of four people, serious injuries to others, and mass destruction. 

This sentencing range reflects an appropriate outcome for that conduct, which was not an accident. Given that the victims, in this case, have more than one view of an appropriate outcome, and this trial court heard the evidence presented, we believe that this hearing is the best path to securing justice for everyone involved.

Our team has connected with defense counsel and will continue to do so as both parties prepare for this resentencing opportunity. We have also been working with the Governor’s Office to ensure that the victims and their loved ones are heard both in this process and the pending clemency application with the Governor. We are grateful for the coordination with the Governor’s office and thank the Department of Corrections for expediting the required evaluation report for resentencing.

As I have in the past, I continue to support the efforts of the Governor’s Sentencing Reform Task Force. Criminal justice reform, including sentencing reform, is a priority of my administration for safer and healthier communities for all. I have been in discussions with the co-chair of the task force and have encouraged him to continue their efforts to address felony sentencing reform in Colorado.

District Attorney Alexis King