Truck Driver Who Triggered Collision Sentenced To 110 Years, US Public Protests

DENVER – A mob consisting of relatives, lawmakers and members of the public demonstrated in Denver, United States of America (USA), Wednesday (12/22/2021). They protested against the sentence imposed on a truck driver .

A truck driver, Rogel Aguilera-Mederos was sentenced to 110 years in prison for causing an accident that left 4 people dead. The verdict was deemed unfair by the US public, who asked Aguilera-Medros to be granted clemency.

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As the AP reports, Aguilera-Mederos supporters say the sentence is grossly unfair and truck drivers across the country have taken action, using hashtags such as #NoTrucksToColorado and #NoTrucksColorado. More than 4.7 million people have signed an online petition seeking leniency.

Leonard Martinez, one of the lawyers representing Aguilera-Mederos, said the unfairness of such a long sentence needs to be addressed, both by reforming the sentencing law but also by looking at the actions of prosecutors and judges. “This fight is not just for him but for all,” he said.

The Aguilera-Mederos family said in a statement that they did not intend to minimize the death toll in the crash, but called on Governor Jared Polis to “take immediate action” to reduce the sentence for the 26-year-old man who has no criminal record.

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At the time of the accident, Aguilera-Mederos was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and was fully cooperating with investigators. Aguilera-Mederos testified that she was hauling logs when her semi-trailer truck failed to brake while descending the steep slopes of Interstate 70 at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in the spring of 2019.

The truck then hit a vehicle that was slowing down in another crash outside Denver, triggering a chain reaction accident and a fireball that scorched the vehicle and melted parts of the highway. Aguilera-Mederos wept as she apologized to the families of the victims during her December 13 sentencing.

“I am not a murderer. When I look at my indictment, we are talking about a murderer, which is not me,” he said. “I have never thought of hurting anyone in my entire life,” he continued.

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Prosecutors argued that Aguilera-Mederos should have used an escape route designed for such situations. Aguilera-Mederos, admitted that she was struggling to avoid traffic and tried to shift to slow down her truck.

(esn)

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