Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday shortened the sentence of a truck driver convicted of four counts of vehicular homicide this month from 110 years to 10 years.
Polis also commuted two other sentences, pardoned 15 individuals and signed an executive order granting 1,351 pardons for convictions of possession of two ounces or less of marijuana. Â
The governor had been asked to commute the sentence for Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, the truck driver convicted of four counts of vehicular homicide, who was sentenced to 110 years in prison, which some called excessive. Aguilera-Mederos was also convicted of 23 other charges related to the April 2019 crash on I-70 in Lakewood, which caused a fiery 28-car pileup.
A Jefferson County judge was scheduled to evaluate a request from the JeffCo district attorney to reduce the sentence to 20 to 30 years. That resentencing hearing was scheduled for Jan. 13.
Aguilera-Mederos' earliest parole date. according to Polis' order, is Dec. 30, 2026.Â
In his letter to Aguilera-Mederos, Polis said he believes he deserves clemency for several reasons.
"You were sentenced to 110 years in prison, effectively more than a life sentence, for a tragic but unintentional act. While you are not blameless, your sentence is disproportionate compared with many other inmates in our criminal justice system who committed intentional, premeditated, or violent crimes," the governor said.Â
Polis added: "Your highly unusual sentence highlights the lack of uniformity between sentences for similarly situated crimes, which is particularly true when individuals are charged with offenses that require mandatory minimum sentences. This case will hopefully spur an important conversation about sentencing laws, but any subsequent changes to the law would not retroactively impact your sentence, which is why I am granting you this limited commutation."
Polis noted Wednesday he had spoken to victims of the I-70 crash, although he said he denied a request to talk to Aguilera-Mederos' parents.
Resentencing hearing set for I-70 trucker sentenced to 110 years in prison
Polis said during a Wednesday news conference at Hercules Industries that he would issue pardons for those convicted of possession of 2 ounces of marijuana, based on a new state law that took effect this year allowing possession for up to 2 ounces.
Countless Coloradans left out of Polis’ marijuana conviction pardoning
In addition to Aguilera-Mederos, Polis issued commutation orders for Ronald Johnson and Nicholas Wells. He granted Johnson parole effective Jan. 15. The Parole Board will set the terms and conditions. Wells, on the other hand, will be eligible for parole also on the same date.
Last year, the governor commuted sentences for eight individuals, including for a man who defrauded the governor in an investment transaction. Polis also issued a pardon for the parents of the "balloon boy" and gave a mass pardon to 2,732 Coloradans convicted of low-level marijuana possession.
Gov. Jared Polis pardons the parents of 'balloon boy' and 16 others
This story will be updated.
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