Nearly 4 million have signed clemency petition for Colorado Latino trucker sentenced to 110 years

Photo: BROWARD SHERIFF OFFICE AND DENVER POLICE / Courtesy

A truck driver was sentenced earlier this week to 110 years in prison for an accident that occurred in 2019 that left four dead and several injured in Colorado.

By Saturday, more than 3.9 million people had signed a petition in which they ask the governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, to grant clemency to Rogel Aguilera-Mederos or commutation of the time served penalty.

Many in the petition have questioned the long sentence for an act that they describe as involuntary.

“There does not appear to be an intentionality of murder, and he is receiving a sentence that would rival with a mass murderer, “lawyer Bryan Kuhn told KSN. “I think that’s not sitting right, I think a lot of people think that maybe there should be a long jail sentence, but this may be too much for some people.”

Heather Gilbee, change.org petition author wrote: “We are not trying to make it look like a less tragic accident because yes, lives were lost.”

In April of 2019, the truck Aguilera-Mederos was driving lost its brakes. He passed one of the state’s out-of-control truck ramps as he descended from the mountains, a point the prosecution focused on during the trial.

Then it crashed into several stopped cars on the I – 70 in the direction is in Lakewood, causing a massive fire. The road was closed in both directions for approximately 24 hours, according to accident reports.

In that accident Miguel Angel Lamas Arellano, of 24 years, to William Bailey, from 67 years; Doyle Harrison, of 61 years, and Stanley Politano, of 69 years.

“He passed all the drug and alcohol tests that were given to him, including a chemical test. This accident was not intentional nor was it a criminal act on the part of the driver, “says the petition.

” No one but the trucking company … I should be responsible for this accident, ”the petition adds. “This tragic accident was not done with intention, it was not a criminal act, it was an accident.”

A jury found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of 27 counts, including four counts of vehicular manslaughter, six counts of assault in the first degree and 04 charges of attempted assault on first degree, in October.

One reason his sentence is so long is because, under Colorado law, assault in the first degree and attempted assault in the first degree are considered “crimes of violence” and their prison sentences must be consecutive, rather than simultaneous, if they stem from the same incident.

Judge A. Bruce Jones said his hands were tied due to the law and said: “If I had the discretion, if I thought I had the discretion, I would not execute those sentences consecutively.”

The office of the Governor Jared Polis said in a statement about the possible clemency: “ We are aware of this problem, the governor and his team review each pardon request individually. ”

On Saturday, truck drivers decided not to enter Colorado , to protest the long sentence imposed on Aguilera -Mederos.