GOLDEN, Colo. — The hearing for the semitruck driver accused of causing the deadly, fiery crash on Interstate 70 in Lakewood in April was continued Tuesday.
Rogel Aguilera-Mederos is facing 41 counts, including four counts of vehicular homicide.
Four people were killed in the crash that involved 24 vehicles and four semitrucks on April 25.
Prosecutors said Aguilera-Mederos drove recklessly eastbound on Interstate 70 when he plowed his truck into vehicles backed up because of another crash on the highway.
The Lakewood Police Department said Aguilera-Mederos, who was hauling lumber as he drove for Houston-based Castellano 03 Trucking LLC, hit speeds of at least 85 mph. Commercial vehicles are limited to 45 mph in the zone.
Aguilera-Mederos claims the brakes on the truck failed as he was coming out of the foothills.
The crash caused a huge fireball and closed the interstate for days.
Killed were Doyle Harrison, 61, of Hudson; William Bailey, 67, of Arvada; Miguel Angel Lamas Arellano, 24, of Denver; and Stanley Politano, 69, of Arvada.
On Tuesday, Aguilera-Mederos’ attorney offered the victims’ families the opportunity to ask Aguilera-Mederos anything they would like to before the trial begins.
In addition to the vehicular homicide charges, Aguilera-Mederos will also stand trial on six counts of first-degree assault and 24 counts of attempted first-degree assault.
The 23-year-old is free on a $400,000 bond. The judge will allow him to live out-of-state as the case moves forward.