JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Prosecutors will ask a judge to consider a revised sentence between 20-30 years for the truck driver whose 110-year sentence in a deadly Interstate 70 crash caused an international outcry.
The case of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, will be back in court on Monday at the request of the district attorney, who has asked a judge to reconsider the sentence.
On Thursday evening, First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King released the following statement:
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.
First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King
The DA’s office said prosecutors have connected with Aguilera-Mederos’ defense and have 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.”
Leonard Martinez, an attorney for Aguilera-Mederos, released the following statement Thursday night:
Although we are glad to have the district attorney acknowledge the unjust sentence that was handed to our client, this sentence is still not consistent with the precedent of prior similar cases throughout the state of Colorado and the entire country. We plan to move forward and to keep all options open in achieving Justice for Rogel, including the possibility of clemency from Governor Polis.
Leonard Martinez, attorney for Rogel Aguilera-Mederos
Martinez pointed out that Aguilera-Mederos “has no criminal record, cooperated fully with investigators, and was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident,” but he said those factors cannot be considered with mandatory minimum sentencing restrictions.
Meanwhile, this case has triggered rumors of big rigs boycotting, but for the owner of one truck company, it’s not just a rumor.
“This was purely an accident this was not done intentionally,” said Armando Ortega Jr., owner of Brown Eagle Trucking Company of Houston. “The brother was a rookie.”
Our sources with the Colorado Motor Carriers Association said they haven’t seen signs of a boycott.
“We are not going to take any loads to Colorado because we feel like our brother out there is being discriminated and I feel like that is totally unfair,” Ortega Jr. said.
We also got a statement from Aguilera-Mederos’ attorneys, again calling the sentence unjust and calling the crash an accident.
Following the announcement from the DA’s office, Ortega Jr. sent FOX31 this statement:
“To be honest, usually when someone makes a mistake on a company vehicle, the company gets sued, I don’t think the driver should face any criminal charges if it was an accident.”
The Monday court hearing is set for 11 a.m.