He was sentenced according to Colorado state laws. He was charged and found guilty of 27 charges. Unlike other states, under Colorado law, each charge runs separately and not concurrently — each charge is not served at the same time. 27 separate charges is why he was sentenced to 110 years.
As for the facts: this was the first time he ever drove a solo load. Experienced truckers with years and years of experience know you don’t just jump in a truck and drive Colorado Mountains. The guys brakes failed because he burned his brakes up. There are numerous mountain runaway truck ramps for truckers who get their brakes hot. Experienced truckers know when and how to use this. This guy could not speak or read English so signs meant nothing to him. Experienced truckers would not drive out-of-control in excess of 80 mph on a downhill grade from the Continental Divide to Denver weaving in/out of traffic. An experienced trucker would have done what ever he had to do to wreck his truck injuring himself or worse without involving 40 innocent vehicles. Once he got out of his truck in the immediate inferno, had it not been for another trucker who kept him from running away, he would have been long gone never to be found again.
Am I bitter? Damn right. We drive I70 regularly, and we could have been one of the injured or killed. 110 years, yes is excessive. A more appropriate sentence would be 30-35 years. |
