Man sentenced to 31 years for killing Castle Rock teens

Drunk driver receives maximum sentence

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e drunk driver who killed two Castle Rock teens last August was sentenced on July 14 to 31 years in prison for multiple charges including vehicular homicide.

Douglas County Judge eresa Slade imposed the maximum sen- tence on Ricky Avalos-Trujillo, 25, who was found guilty of vehicular assault, careless driving and two counts of vehicular homicide in May.

On August 5, 2022, Avalos-Trujillo was driving the wrong direction and speeding on the I-25 frontage road near mile marker 179 in Castle Rock when he hit a truck carrying four teens head-on. e wreck killed Audrey Todd, 17, and Colton Bellamy, 17, and injured the other two teens. A blood test on Avalos-Trujillo found marijuana and alcohol in his system during the time of the crash. Avalos-Trujillo was serving a probation sentence for injuring someone while driving impaired in California.

Slade sentenced Avalos-Trujillo for 12 years in prison for each count of vehicular homicide, 6 years in prison for vehicular assault and one year in prison for careless driving, as well as three years of parole. Avalos-Trujillo will receive credit for 343 days time served.

Prosecutors on the case, 18th Judicial District Senior Deputy District Attorney Meghan Gallo and Deputy

District Attorney Sherri Giger, said the loss of life is tragic and preventable.

“He should have never been behind the wheel, and unfortunately, his victims and their families will have to live with the impacts of that decision for the rest of their lives,” Giger said in a statement. “ is is an individual who has proven he cannot safely be in our community, and we appreciate that the judge’s sentence ensures that he won’t threaten the safety of other innocent drivers for years to come.”