A hearing has been scheduled for next month to reconsider the prison term for a trucker sentenced to 110 years following a fatal highway crash.
The hearing will take place on January 13th before Judge Bruce Jones. Rogel Aguilera-Mederos’ case will be revisited after widespread outrage called for him to have a reduced sentence.
Aguilera-Mederos was found guilty of causing the deaths of four drivers on April 25th, 2019, when his brakes failed on his semi-truck as he descended a steep grade of Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountain foothills. His truck hit multiple vehicles that were slowed on the interstate due to another crash. The deceased were identified as 24-year-old Miguel Angel Lamas Arellano, 67-year-old William Bailey, 61-year-old Doyle Harrison, and 69-year-old Stanley Politano.
During the sentencing on December 13th, Jones said he was imposing the sentence under state law after finding it was the mandatory minimum term. However, he stated that if he had the discretion, it “would not be my sentence.”
Aguilera-Mederos wept and apologized to the victims’ families but maintained that he did not mean to hurt anyone during the wreck. Prosecutors based much of their argument on the fact that Aguilera-Mederos should have used a runaway ramp to prevent such accidents.
Last week, District Attorney Alexis King said she would seek a re-sentencing of 20 to 30 years.
An online petition seeking clemency for Aguilera-Mederos has attracted about 5 million signatures.
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