Colorado Gov Jared Polis has reduced the sentence of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, from 110 years to just 10 years following widespread pressure and public outcry led by the likes of Kim Kardashian. Aguilera-Mederos, a truck driver, was sentenced to 110 years in prison earlier this month for killing four people in 2019 after he said his brakes gave out.
Aguilera-Mederos' sentence drew criticism among millions of people, including a juror who had found him guilty and Kardashian, who has remained vocal in her criticism with the sentencing. The widespread protest finally resulted the sentence being slashed by over 10 times by the Colorado governor.
Big Sigh of Relief
Polis announced on Thursday that Aguilera-Mederos will serve 10 years in prison instead of his original sentence of 110, a week after a Colorado district attorney asked the court to reconsider his sentence, and explained his reasoning in a clemency letter.
"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," Polis wrote in his letter to Aguilera-Mederos.
Aguilera-Mederos was sentenced on December 13 for the accident, which happened after the brakes on his truck failed and he passed a runaway truck ramp. The 28-car pile-up closed I-70 in Lakewood for a day.
His sentencing drew widespread criticism and public outcry which was led by a number of celebrities including Kardashian. A change.org petition asking the governor for a reduced sentence for Aguilera-Mederos was launched which so far has received over 5 million signatures.
Polis while reducing his sentence also referred to the remorse shown by Aguilera-Mederos as he tried to find a just punishment for the crime.
"You have wondered why your life was spared when other lives were taken," Polis wrote. "You will struggle with this burden of this event for the rest of your life, but never forget that because of this event, countless others will struggle with the loss of their loved ones or injuries as well. And you will serve your just sentence."
Everyone Relieved
Aguilera-Mederos, 26, said his truck's brakes failed in April 2019 while driving on Interstate 70 west of Denver, leading him to crash into cars that were stopped because of another collision. Four people died in the crash: Doyle Harrison, 61; William Bailey, 67; Stanley Politano, 69; and Miguel Lamas Arrellano, 24.
A jury found Aguilera-Mederos guilty on four counts of vehicular homicide and 23 other charges in October. He was sentenced in December to 110 years in prison going by Colorado's law.
Kardashian, who is studying law, had called for a shorter sentence for Aguilera-Mederos. On Thursday, following the announcement from Polis, Kardashian took to Twitter to than the Governor for granting Aguilera-Mederos a commutation.
Kardashian had fought a lot on social media for Aguilera-Mederos and the clemency is also a big win for her. Following his initial sentencing she had taken to Instagram to tell her 271 million followers that she had heard about the case and "took a deep dive in it to figure out what the situation is."
"He was not drunk or under the influence; his brakes on the tractor-trailer failed. Another shocking and unfair part of this case is that the judge didn't want to sentence him to such a lengthy sentence."
"However, because of the mandatory minimums in Colorado, his hands were tied," she had written.
Aguilera-Mederos, now, if not others, should definitely thank Kardashian.
