[ad_1]
The driver pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges – and faced a maximum of one year in jail.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo — A truck driver who pleaded guilty to causing a crash that killed a man earlier this summer was sentenced to one year in prison on Friday afternoon in Jefferson County District Court.
Ignacio Cruz-Mendoza was charged only with misdemeanor traffic violations: one count of careless driving resulting in death and three counts of careless driving resulting in injury related to the crash on Highway 285 near Bailey that killed Scott Miller.
He pleaded guilty to those charges in July and faced a maximum of one year behind bars and some fines.
Cruz-Mendoza didn’t have a valid commercial driver’s license, and he was in the country illegally.
After the DA’s office in Jefferson County charged him with the misdemeanors, Cruz-Mendoza surprised them and pleaded guilty at his arraignment. That prevented prosecutors from filing more charges as they got more evidence from crash investigators.
The DA’s office told 9NEWS they are still looking into the trucking company involved in the crash. That investigation is ongoing. Monique Trucking has a history of violations including drivers on the road without proper licenses.
The crash happened June 11 on Highway 285 near Conifer. The Colorado State Patrol said the semi was going south when it went off the edge of the road, rolled onto its side and dumped its load of pipe and angle iron on top of five other vehicles. The highway was closed in both directions for about 14 hours after the crash.
Miller died in the crash, and three other people suffered injuries.
[ad_2]
Source link
