WELD COUNTY, Colo. — The truck driver charged with killing five people in a 2022 crash on Interstate 25 in northern Colorado took the stand in his defense Tuesday.
Jesus Puebla is facing five counts of vehicular homicide after his truck slammed into a car that was stopped in traffic.
Puebla told the jury, “I pressed the brake and the truck didn’t slow down.”
His defense attorney's argue that he was given a truck to drive by Caminantes Trucking that didn't have working brakes.
“I tried braking, downshifting. I didn’t want to get into an accident,” Puebla said.
Puebla was driving a truck carrying mail to a location in Greeley from Denver. The truck was contracted by the United States Postal Service.
"For the first time hearing him talk in person, it was really emotional and hard," said Desiree Everts, who lost her daughter and granddaughter in the crash. "I had to come outside and scream for a minute and cry and let it out. It’s not easy."
Abby Godinez lost her brother and both her parents.
"It’s hard. All those emotions. The anger, the rage. He took everyone from us," said Godinez. "I want him to be held accountable for his actions. There has to be consequences. He’s been free this whole time while we’re grieving and mourning."
Puebla testified Tuesday that he did know his commercial driver’s license was expired, but didn’t realize that meant he wasn’t allowed to drive. His defense team is pointing the blame at the trucking company for putting him on the road with a truck that didn’t have working brakes.
In 2021, truck driver Rogel Aguilera-Mederos was sentenced to 110 years in prison for causing a fiery crash on Interstate 70 near Golden. Colorado's governor eventually intervened and reduced the sentence to 10 years. The same lawyer representing that truck driver, James Colgan, is now defending Puebla in court in Greeley.
"When the prosecution tells you that Mr. Puebla didn’t use the brakes, he didn’t use the brakes because he didn’t have brakes," Colgan told the jury during opening statements.
As the trial continues, lawmakers at the Colorado State Capitol are working to pass a bill that would increase penalties for driving a truck without a commercial driver’s license. It’s inspired in-part by what happened to the Everts and Godinez families.
"He still chose to take a truck that wasn’t supposed to be there out on the road. And it cost five people their lives," said Christian Godinez, who lost his brother and parents.
The truck was also driving without insurance at the time of the crash. A federal lawsuit alleges the trucking company tried to buy insurance for the truck less than an hour after the crash.
Closing arguments are expected to begin on Wednesday morning.
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