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On December 13, 26-year-old Rogel Aguilera was sentenced to 110 years in prison for his involvement in a 2019 automobile crash that killed four people. The accident occurred when the brakes failed on Aguilera’s semi-truck, causing him to crash into traffic that was stopped on Interstate 70 in Lakewood, Colorado.
Aguilera, a Cuban-American immigrant, was convicted of 27 criminal counts, including vehicular manslaughter. His 110-year sentence was not the result of reckless driving or driving while intoxicated, as the young man did neither of these things. Rather, it is the result of a justice system run amok and mandatory minimum sentences set by lawmakers.
The judge who delivered the sentence actually acknowledged that he did not believe it was Aguilera’s intention to harm anyone, but he was required by law to issue 26 consecutive sentences.
Lava Media founder and criminal justice activist Jason Flom has joined the chorus of voices demanding Colorado Governor Jared Polis to pardon or greatly reduce the sentence for Aguilera.
“What happened in this incident was horrific, but it was a tragic accident and a review of the facts indicates that Rogel did nothing wrong,” said Flom. “The brakes on his truck failed and reports are that he had not received adequate training from his employer on how to respond in this type of emergency situation. Rogel’s case is a jarring reminder that mandatory minimum sentencing has no place in our criminal legal system.”
The Change.org petition asking for his commutation or clemency is one of the fastest-growing of all time. Find it here.
