A petition to show leniency towards a truck driver who accidentally killed four people has passed 4.5 million signatures.
Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced to 110 years in prison last week for the April 2019 crash in Colorado.
Aguilera-Mederos told police he lost control of his brakes and was unable to avoid traffic that was backed up, hitting 28 vehicles.
Doyle Harrison, 61, William Bailey, 67, Miguel Angel Lamas Arrellano, 24, and Stanley Politano, 69, who were all travelling in separate vehicles along the highway at the time were killed.
Rogel Aguilera-Mederos was sentenced to 110 years in prison for this 2019 crash that killed four people. Photo / Supplied
The driver was convicted on 42 counts, including vehicular homicide, first-degree assault, attempted first-degree assault, reckless driving and careless driving.
Judge A. Bruce Jones said despite the driver passing all of the drug and alcohol tests that were given including a chemical test, his hands were tied because of mandatory minimum laws and gave him the minimum allowed.
Now more than 4.5 million people have signed a petition on Change.org to have the sentence commuted.
"Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, 23 has nothing on his driving record, or on his criminal history," the petition reads. "This accident was not intentional, nor was it a criminal act on the driver's part. No one but the trucking company he is/was employed by should be held accountable for this accident. No, we are not trying to make it seem any less of a tragic accident that it is because yes, lives were lost. We are trying to hold the person who needs to be held responsible, responsible. The trucking company has had several inspections since 2017, with several mechanical violations."
The Denver Channel reported that Castellano 03 Trucking had been hit with 30 safety violations, including for brake issues in the two years prior.
Prosecutors argued that Aguilera-Mederos could have taken steps to avoid the crash, including steering onto the runaway truck ramp he passed on the way down, or veering away from the stopped traffic.
Investigators were unable to check the condition of the brakes, as the truck was destroyed.
Speaking at his own trial, the tearful driver asked for leniency.
"I'm dying. It is hard to live with this trauma. I can't sleep. I'm thinking all [the time] about the victims," he said. "This was a terrible accident, I know. I take responsibility. But it was not intentional. I am not a criminal."
Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos. Photo / Supplied
One of the victim's daughters even pleaded with the court to have mercy.
"I know I don't get to have my dad for the rest of my life, but I hope that the defendant's son can have his dad for the rest of his life," she said, per Fox 31.
"There are many things Rogel could have done to avoid the courts, but he took responsibility showed up and severely apologised to the victims' families," the petition continues.
"Some of the families even offered forgiveness. Rogel is not a criminal, the company he was working for knew the federal laws that go into truck driving but they failed to follow those laws.
"Rogel has said several times that he wishes he had the courage to crash and take his own life that day, this tragic accident wasn't done with intent, it wasn't a criminal act, it was an accident."
