Nearly one year after deadly hit-and-run crash, driver sentenced as loved ones remember victim
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Nearly one year after a deadly hit-and-run crash at the intersection of Rebecca Lane and North Academy Boulevard killed Colorado Springs motorcyclist Shane Golden, the driver responsible has been sentenced.
On Wednesday, David Medina was sentenced to four years in the Colorado Department of Corrections in connection with Golden’s death.
Medina, the man who hit Shane, was ultimately sentenced today for fleeing the scene of an accident resulting in death as well as driving while impaired.
While the sentencing marks a major development in the case, those who knew Golden say the loss still feels as fresh as the day it happened.
At the motorsports shop where Golden worked, coworkers told KRDO13 he was more than an employee, describing him as the backbone of the business and someone who brought energy and positivity to work every day.
Nearly a year later, they say it still feels like he could walk through the door at any moment.
Inside the shop, one reminder of Golden remains untouched.
The coffee cup he used the day before he was killed still sits in place, now holding his memorial card. Coworkers say every new employee is told the same thing: the mug belongs to Shane, and no one touches it.
“It is very weird not seeing him every day,” coworker Randy Hopper said. “You walk in expecting, oh yeah, Shane’s just going to be in his office.”
Another one of Shane's coworkers, Nick Albin, shared his memories with KRDO13, saying, "Shane had the biggest smile, showing up to work every day. I'm still in a state of disbelief; it doesn't feel real that he's gone."
For his wife, Parker Seibold, returning to court for sentencing brought renewed grief nearly one year after losing him.
"There are certainly moments where I find myself struck with grief and just sitting in a room saying there's just no way he's not gonna walk through the door, there's just no way or that he's gonna read my text because I still text him," said Seibold. "For me, Shane became home."
Loved ones say that while Wednesday’s sentencing brings accountability, healing remains an ongoing process.
Coworkers say Golden’s impact continues to live on not only through memories shared at the shop but in the people whose lives he changed.
As they move forward, those closest to Golden say their focus is now on keeping his memory alive.
When Seibold was asked about her favorite memories with Shane, she said she loved traveling with their dogs and camping. They traveled to Egypt and Ireland, but one of her most precious memories is a trip they took together to Taylor Park, where they would ride their bikes and explore.
"I didn't ride before I met Shane; he got me into motorcycles and bought me my first dirt bike and taught me everything I know," said Seibold.
"The fall before he died, we took the camper, the dirt bikes, and the dogs, and it was a really wonderful weekend. I read books, and he played games on his phone. I look back at that and think about how easy it was to be in each other's presence. We could be sitting and doing nothing and be totally satisfied."
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