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sl8

(16,252 posts)
Sun Jun 23, 2024, 06:55 AM Jun 2024

'Reckless driving in a 20,000-pound truck': Trucker with no CDL sentenced for killing 5 members of a family while drivin

https://lawandcrime.com/crime/reckless-driving-in-a-20000-pound-truck-trucker-with-no-cdl-sentenced-for-killing-5-members-of-a-family-while-driving-frankenstein-vehicle-with-faulty-brakes/

‘Reckless driving in a 20,000-pound truck’: Trucker with no CDL sentenced for killing 5 members of a family while driving ‘Frankenstein’ vehicle with faulty brakes

COLIN KALMBACHER
Jun 22nd, 2024, 5:21 pm

A Colorado trucker will spend over a decade in prison for a tragic highway crash that killed a family of five in June 2022.

In March, Jesus Puebla, 28, was convicted by Weld County jurors on each one of the 10 counts filed against him in December 2022.

During the fatal accident on Interstate 25, Puebla was driving a box truck containing U.S. Postal Service mail without a commercial driver’s license. He rear-ended Aaron Godinez, 20, his fiancee Halie Everts, 20, the couple’s 3-month-old daughter Tessleigh Godinez, and Aaron’s parents Emiliano Godinez, 51, and Christina Godinez, 47. The truck was traveling some 76 mph while the victims had essentially come to a stop for traffic — and were decelerating between 6 mph and 10 mph.

[...]

On Friday, Weld County District Judge Allison Esser sentenced Puebla to two years in prison for each homicide conviction and one year in prison for the assault conviction, according to a courtroom report by Denver-based NBC affiliate KUSA. Those sentences will be served consecutively or one after another. For counts 7-9, the judge sentenced Puebla to 90 days in prison, concurrently, or at the same time, but credited his 93 days in pretrial detention — effectively ruling them served. For count 10, the defendant was given a $100 fine.

[...]

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'Reckless driving in a 20,000-pound truck': Trucker with no CDL sentenced for killing 5 members of a family while drivin (Original Post) sl8 Jun 2024 OP
While the driver got off fairly easy in my mind, the company shared culpability for using a driver without a proper ... marble falls Jun 2024 #1
You do not need a CDL to drive a truck under 26000# under federal law. Maybe there doc03 Jun 2024 #2
Shocked. 10 tons is considered basically the same as a small package delivery? marble falls Jun 2024 #4
Yep as long as the combined weight of the truck and cargo are under 26000# nt doc03 Jun 2024 #5
You are right, Scruffy1 Jun 2024 #6
There's still civil liability. sl8 Jun 2024 #3
ain't subcontracting wuunerful ? stopdiggin Jun 2024 #7

marble falls

(62,394 posts)
1. While the driver got off fairly easy in my mind, the company shared culpability for using a driver without a proper ...
Sun Jun 23, 2024, 07:06 AM
Jun 2024

... license in a truck with defective brakes. Maybe there ought to be more criteria to bidding on a post office contract than a form and and being low bidder.

doc03

(36,813 posts)
2. You do not need a CDL to drive a truck under 26000# under federal law. Maybe there
Sun Jun 23, 2024, 07:27 AM
Jun 2024

could be state laws that do require a CDL?

Scruffy1

(3,419 posts)
6. You are right,
Sun Jun 23, 2024, 11:58 AM
Jun 2024

Colorado doesn't require a cdl on trucks under 26000 gvw unless you have over 16 passengers or are hauling hazardous materials. Similar in most states. Another stupid lede.






sl8

(16,252 posts)
3. There's still civil liability.
Sun Jun 23, 2024, 07:32 AM
Jun 2024

I think the family's lawsuit against them is still ongoing.

Googling "Caminantes Trucking" turns up a bit, including reports that they lacked insurance for years.

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