Trucker's 110-year sentence draws outcry, clemency calls

DENVER (AP) — The family of a trucker sentenced to 110 years in prison after an explosive brake-failure accident that left four people dead is planning to rally in Denver Wednesday to plead for clemency.

Supporters of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos say the sentence is deeply unjust and truck drivers around the country have taken up his cause, using hashtags like #NoTrucksToColorado and #NoTrucksColorado.

The Colorado judge has said mandatory-minimum sentencing laws forced him to impose the long prison term after Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of vehicular homicide and other charges.

His family said in a statement they do not want to minimize the loss of those killed in the crash, but are calling on Gov. Jared Polis to “take immediate action” to reduce the sentence for the 26-year-old man with no criminal record. He was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and fully cooperated with investigators, supporters said in a statement. More than 4.5 million people have signed an online petition asking for a commutation.

Polis, a Democrat, said Tuesday he is reviewing a clemency application.

Prosecutors asked for a reconsideration of the sentence after the outcry, but also say the driver declined plea deal negotiations and the convictions recognize harm caused to crash victims. On Tuesday, District Attorney Alexis King filed a motion asking the judge to consider the issue quickly.

Aguilera-Mederos’ defense attorney, James Colgan, said Wednesday the district attorney, who inherited the case from her predecessor, could have dropped some of the charges against him if she wanted a different sentence to be reached, given the state’s laws. He said he is open to having either the governor or the judge decide a new, fair sentence. He declined to say what that might be.

“When there’s...