The driver accused of causing the deadly 28-car crash on I-70 has officially been charged.

Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, the 23-year-old semi-truck driver behind last week's fiery crash on I-70 that killed four people and sent several others to the hospital, has been formally charged.

He was previously held on investigation of four counts of vehicular homicide. But on Friday, May 3, he was officially charged with 40+ counts, including 36 felonies, said Jefferson County District Attorney Peter Weir. 

Aguilera-Mederos faces the following counts:

  • Six counts of first-degree assault 
  • 24 counts of attempted first-degree assault 
  • Four counts of vehicular homicide by reckless driving
  • Two counts of vehicular assault by reckless driving
  • One count of reckless driving
  • Two counts of violent crime causing death or serious bodily injury 
  • One count of violent crime using a weapon

He could face anywhere from 10-32 years in prison, said Weir. "We filed charges based upon our belief that Mr. Aguilera acted with extreme indifference," which led to the counts of vehicular homicide, as well as multiple counts of first-degree assault and attempted assault.

On Thursday, April 25, Aguilera-Mederos was seen driving his truck around 85 mph down I-70 and plowed through stopped traffic, hitting several cars and trucks and igniting a deadly fire. Witnesses of the crash reported a "chain-reaction of collisions," which was then followed by a huge fire that reached temperatures of 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, said CDOT's Josh Laipply.

Aguilera-Mederos told police that his brakes failed and in fear of rolling the semi-truck, he didn't pull off the highway.

The four victims in the crash were identified by the JeffCo Coroner's Office:

  • Doyle Harrison, 61, of Hudson
  • William Bailey, 67, of Arvada
  • Miguel Angel Lamas Arellano, 24, of Denver
  • Stanley Politano, 69, of Arvada

Aguilera-Mederos is being held in the Jefferson County jail on $400,000 bail.

*Featured image courtesy of Denver7 via YouTube.