A truck driver accused of causing a fatal pileup on I-70 in Colorado has been released from jail after paying thousands of dollars worth of bond — thanks to help from fundraisers.
Twenty-three year old truck driver Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos left jail on the night of Saturday, May 18, after he was able to bond out.
Aguilera-Mederos’s bond was set at $400,000. His family says that the bond money came from online fundraisers, according to KHOU.
Aguilera-Medero is facing 40 charges — most of them felonies — in connection to an April 25 crash on I-70 near Lakewood, Colorado, that left four people dead and several others injured after he plowed into slowed traffic in the eastbound lanes of the interstate, triggering a 28 vehicle pileup.
Rogel Lazaro Aguilera was booked into our jail today for his involvement in yesterday’s crash on I-70. The crash is being investigated by @LakewoodPDCO Media inquiries & requests for his mugshot should be directed to Lakewood PD. Aguilera has declined to be interviewed by media pic.twitter.com/TP6Roz21j9
— Jeffco Sheriff (@jeffcosheriffco) April 26, 2019
Aguilera-Mederos told police through a translator that he crashed after his brakes failed. Officials say that his truck was so badly damaged by the fiery crash that it is impossible to conduct a mechanical inspection.
Aguilera-Mederos was driving for Houston based trucking company Castellano 03 Trucking LLC at the time of the crash.
Video captured at the scene appears to show Aguilera-Mederos driving erratically and bypassing runaway truck ramps.
Officials confirmed that this video, which shows a semi driver swerving across lanes and passing a runaway truck ramp on I-70, is Aguilera-Mederos prior to last week’s crash.https://t.co/7T6Wg57Ybf pic.twitter.com/Sdk6rhKQVV
— Denver7 News (@DenverChannel) May 3, 2019
Aguilera-Mederos is set to appear in court again for a preliminary hearing on July 11.