Truckers Boycott Colorado Following Former Trucker’s 110-Year Prison Sentence

Truckers in Colorado are uniting with the former trucker who received a 110-year sentence for a brake mishap that caused an accident and killed four people.

Rogel Aguilera-Mederos was found guilty on Dec. 16 on 27 counts of vehicular manslaughter. After Mederos attempted to brake his semi-truck on Interstate 70 in Denver, it crashed into stopped traffic killing four people. The accident happened in 2019.

The accident ruling has been one of the most controversial rulings. After the ruling, a petition on Change.org reached over 4 million signatures for the former trucker’s innocence. It shares that Mederos trucking employer is responsible. It has also brought a TikTok trend showing truckers boycotting driving in Colorado in efforts to get Gov. Jared Polis to grant Mederos clemency or decrease his maximum penalty. A rally took place on December 20 outside of Colorado State Capitol. Another is planned for December 27.

In a heartbreaking plea, Mederos, announces his intentions when driving the semi-truck. “I was working hard for a better future for my family,” Aguilera-Mederos said. “Please don’t be angry with me for saying I was not out robbing a bank or a store…”

He continued as he cried, “Truck drivers know this hard moment when you lose your brake. There’s nothing you can do… I am begging for forgiveness…I have never thought about hurting anybody in my entire life…”

Colorado Governor Jared Polis told police in a statement they have yet to receive a clemency application. But once they do they will review and make the determination.