Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, 26, convicted in October of four counts of vehicular homicide and numerous other charges, was sentenced Dec. 13 to a mandatory 110 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.

Aguilera-Mederos was the driver of a semi-truck that crashed into multiple cars on eastbound I-70 on April 25, 2019, killing four people and injuring several others. The impact of the crash caused a fiery inferno that made national headlines. During his trial, Aguilera-Mederos claimed the brakes on his truck had failed and he was unable to avoid the wreck. However, prosecutors in the case pointed out several instances where Aguilera-Mederos’ actions led directly to the accident. 

As he handed down the sentence, Judge A. Bruce Jones said the state legislature required him to order Aguilera-Mederos to serve the time consecutively. 

Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of six counts of First-Degree Assault with Extreme Indifference that carried a mandatory sentence of 10-30 years each. Jones sentenced Aguilera-Mederos to the required 10-year minimum for each count. He was also given mandatory minimum sentences of 5 years each for 10 additional counts that must also be served consecutively, thus adding up to the 110-year sentence. Eleven other counts Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of, totaling 30 years, will be served concurrently.

As the hearing concluded, Jones advised Aguilera-Mederos of his right to appeal the verdict and sentence.