Colorado governor reduces I-70 truck driver Rogel Aguilera-Mederos' sentence to 10 years

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/30/rogel-aguilera-mederos-sentence-commutation/

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday reduced the sentence from 110 years to 10 years for the former truck driver convicted of causing a 2019 fatal crash that killed four people.

Polis called the sentence imposed on Rogel Aguilera-Mederos “highly atypical and unjust” in his Thursday letter announcing the commutation. Aguilera-Mederos, 26, will be eligible for parole Dec. 30, 2026.

“You were sentenced to 110 years in prison, effectively more than a life sentence, for a tragic but unintentional act,” Polis wrote in the letter. “While you are not blameless, your sentence is disproportionate compared with many other inmates in our criminal justice system who committed intentional, premeditated, or violent crimes.”

The decision comes after the 110-year sentence imposed two weeks ago drew nationwide outrage and more than 5 million people signed a petition calling on the governor to reduce the sentence. The outcry prompted First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King, whose office prosecuted the case, requested that the judge reconsider the sentence. First Judicial District Court Judge Bruce Jones granted the request and scheduled a Jan. 13 hearing to reconsider the sentence, though it is now likely moot.

[BlackSkimmer]

1. Well, that's good to hear.

Surprised they fixed that so quickly actually.

[Wingus Dingus]

2. Good on Gov. Polis, that's reasonable.

Punishment but not excessive.

[A HERETIC I AM]

3. YES!

Excellent!

While the guy certainly bears some responsibility for the deaths in that tragedy, 110 years is a sentence given to a murderer, not someone involved in an accident.

I stand by what I wrote about this the other day;

It is a distinct possibility he had no understanding of why or when he should use a runaway truck ramp.

The fact that he passed (instead of using) the only one on that stretch of roadway does not mean he is a murderer.

[questionseverything]

7. If he didn't understand what the ramps were for he shouldn't be driving a semi

Especially in Colorado

[USALiberal]

4. That is great!

[BlackSkimmer]

5. K and r.

[Chautauquas]

6. What is that?

About 2 1/2 years per corpse?

[niyad]

8. I am going to remind people that CO has mandatory minimum sentencing laws,

and the charges were specifically written to meet those standards.

Those laws need to be addressed.