The case grinds on; police say the driver involved in the “autonomous” uber-pedestrian death in 2018 was watching TV instead of watching the road. Prosecutors (finally) brought negligent homicide charges in 2020. The current news item of interest is the driver has recently rejected an offer which would entail the driver pleading guilty to the charge in exchange for it being treated as a “non-dangerous” felony. That would, almost certainly, result in a sentence of only probation and no incarceration.
If found guilty at trial of a dangerous felony the sentence would be, because of “truth in sentencing“, years in prison (bare minimum for the class 4 is 85% of 4 years in prison. 6 is presumptive).
At a trial, the prosecutor would have to prove the driver was “criminally negligent … means… that a person fails to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk…
of such nature and degree that the failure to perceive it constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would observe in the situation”.
The driver has a previous felony conviction dating back to 2000; and I can’t follow how that might fit into sentencing.
Vasquez is being represented by Marci Kratter; the State is Tiffany Brady.
… explained that if Vasquez declined and was convicted at trial, the minimum time she would serve would be four years and the maximum would be eight years for a class 4 felony count of “dangerous” negligent homicide.
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