MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR VEHICULAR HOMICIDE AND VEHICULAR ASSAULT IN MAY 2017 GRAND COUNTY CRASH

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Felix Cervantes
Felix Cervantes

Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado – Today, Felix Cervantes was sentenced to eighteen years in
prison on one count of Reckless Vehicular Homicide, a class 4 felony and one count of Reckless Vehicular Assault, a class five felony in Grand County District Court by Judge Mary Hoak.

Eighteen years prison was the maximum sentence allowed under the law.
The head-on crash occurred on Memorial Day 2017 on US HWY 40 at mile marker 161, east of Rabbit Ears Pass just over the county line. Felix Cervantes was traveling at a high rate of speed up a hill crest and attempted to pass a car and a semi-truck in a no passing zone. He crashed into the victim’s car head-on killing the passenger and severely injuring the driver.

At the sentencing hearing, Deputy District Attorney Kathryn Dowdell asked that District Court Judge Hoak sentence the defendant to the maximum prison sentence for justice for the victims and the safety of the community. She stated, “this represents one of the worst-case scenarios when people get impatient traveling on a two-lane mountain highway.

Traffic safety on our mountain roads in northwest Colorado is a critical priority, and the sentence here should send a clear message that reckless indifference to human life on the road brings the heaviest of consequences”

District Attorney Brett Barkey stated “Mr. Cervantes’ grossly reckless behavior resulted in
senseless loss and tragedy. Today’s sentence cannot undo that tragedy. But it does send a strong message that such a blatantly disregard the right of all Coloradans to travel our roads safely will not be tolerated.”

The investigation was conducted by the Colorado State Patrol with assistance from the Grand County Coroner, Emergency Medical Services and local law enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Kathryn Dowdell and Assistant District Attorney Matt Karzen.