WHEAT RIDGE, CO — A 33-year-old man was sentenced to 14 years in prison following a DUI crash that killed one person and injured two others on Oct. 17, 2025.
Cesar Hernandez-Sanchez pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and vehicular assault related to the four-vehicle collision that occurred on Colorado 58 just after 7 p.m. The sentencing was delivered by Jefferson County District Court Judge Christopher Zenisek on Friday.
Authorities determined that Hernandez-Sanchez was traveling over 70 miles per hour westbound when he crossed a dirt median, colliding head-on with Michael Smith's vehicle. This caused a chain reaction involving additional vehicles. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene, while the two other victims suffered serious injuries. Hernandez-Sanchez also sustained serious injuries, was hospitalized, and later booked into Jefferson County Jail.
At the scene, Hernandez-Sanchez reported consuming two beers and had a prior history of alcoholism. A blood test conducted two and a half hours post-collision revealed a blood alcohol content more than three times the legal limit.
Hernandez-Sanchez faced a maximum sentence of 18 years after his guilty plea on March 23. Jefferson County Senior Deputy District Attorney Jacob Mathews highlighted the profound impact of the crash, stating, “Mr. Smith's children lost their father, and the surviving victims will live with the lasting effects of their injuries.” Mathews also noted that Hernandez-Sanchez was wanted in Texas for failing to appear on previous DUI charges.