Resentencing hearing scheduled for trucker involved in deadly Colorado crash

Dec. 27 (UPI) -- A resentencing hearing for trucker Rogel Aguilera-Mederos has been scheduled after his 110-year sentence for his involvement in a deadly 2019 crash in Colorado sparked national backlash.

Judge A. Bruce Jones held a hearing Monday in Jefferson County District Court, where First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King was expected to seek to reduce Aguilera-Mederos' lengthy sentence to about 20 to 30 years.

During the Monday hearing, all parties agreed to schedule the resentencing hearing for 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 13, according to a reporter for Denver Westword. Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was not present for the hearing but will be present in the courtroom in January.

The hearing came as a group was scheduled to rally outside of the Colorado Capitol in support of Aguilera-Mederos ahead of the hearing, KDVR reported.

Aguilera-Mederos, then 23, lost his brakes on his tractor-trailer when descending from the mountains on Interstate 70, slamming into stopped traffic causing an accident that killed four people and damaged 28 vehicles.

In October, Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 of 41 charges including vehicular manslaughter, first-degree assault with extreme indifference and attempted first-degree assault with extreme indifference. He was sentenced earlier this month based on mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines.

Nearly 5 million people have since signed a petition asking Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, to commute his sentence to time served or grant him clemency.

Aguilera-Mederos' attorney James Colgan told the Denver Post on Thursday that he met with King, who asked for the defense team to support her reduced sentence proposition.

"Our position is he should be released," Colgan said, according to the outlet.

Colgan called her proposal of a 20- to 30-year sentence "disingenuous" and motivated by "all the political heat she's taking."

"She claims that what is a just sentence is 20 to 30 years," he said. "Well, she knew the way the case was charged there was no way she could get a sentence of 20 to 30 years."