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| Rogel Aguilera-Mederos was found guilty of causing the deaths of four individuals in a truck accident. |
After much criticism, the truck driver's sentence, who was facing a 110-year prison sentence, was reduced to ten years.
In 2019, Rogel Aguilera-Mederos' truck collided with oncoming traffic in Colorado, killing four people.
He was found guilty on 27 counts at trial, and the court claimed he had no choice but to inflict the long term because of state law.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, on the other hand, commuted what he called an "unjust" sentence on Thursday.
When the fatal collision occurred in April 2019, Aguilera-Mederos was delivering lumber in the Rocky Mountain foothills.
The vehicle careered downhill into stopped traffic, catching fire and causing a severe traffic jam in Lakewood.
Stanley Politano, 69, William Bailey, 67, Doyle Harrison, 61, and Miguel Angel Lamas Arellano, 24, were among the four persons that died.
As he lost control of the truck, Aguilera-Mederos, a Cuban immigrant, informed investigators that his brakes had failed and that he had tried his best to avoid other cars.
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| Osada Mederos, Aguilera-Mederos' mother, was tearful when she spoke at a demonstration on December 22nd, begging for the sentence to be overturned. |
More than five million people signed a petition calling for a reduction in his lengthy jail sentence, including reality TV star and law student Kim Kardashian West.
Truck drivers have also threatened to boycott Colorado as a result of the punishment.
Mr. Polis has the constitutional authority to award pardons, clemency, and commutations as governor.
He termed the incident "a terrible but unintended act" in a letter to Aguilera-Mederos, and said there was "an urgency to right this unfair punishment and restore faith in the consistency and fairness of our criminal justice system."
"You will be burdened by this incident for the rest of your life," he said, "but never forget that... many others will be burdened by the death of loved ones or injuries as well."
In five years, Aguilera-Mederos will be entitled to petition for parole.
The governor's move came at an inopportune time for many people.
District Attorney Alexis King issued a statement saying she was "disappointed with the Governor's choice to act prematurely."
Ms. King had previously stated that she would ask for Aguilera-Mederos to be resentenced to up to 30 years in jail at a hearing to revisit the judgment.
"I joined the surviving victims and relatives of those who died in this case in requesting that the trial judge decides on a suitable punishment in this case," Ms. King said.
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