The driver of the box truck in a four-vehicle crash that killed a 17-month-old on Interstate 25 near Loveland in December pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and other felonies and will possibly serve a sentence in Larimer County’s Community Corrections program instead of prison.
Jose Salazar veered from the center lane and struck a Lexus in the right lane of I-25 on Dec. 16, according to a . The four-vehicle crash near Crossroads Boulevard was the result of an earlier incident where a vehicle involved in a medical emergency had to pull to the side of the road for care, according to a .
Two adults and one of the children in the Lexus were transported to the hospital, but the other child in the vehicle, , was pronounced dead at the scene.
The box truck pushed the Lexus forward into the other vehicles, a Kia Telluride and a Chevrolet Silverado hauling a trailer.
According to the , Salazar told troopers the crash was his fault and admitted to reaching down into his truck cab to grab his dropped cellphone as his vehicle was veering into the right lane.
He also told troopers that he had smoked marijuana that morning, and troopers at the scene found a marijuana pipe inside a metal water bottle, which they believe was intent to hide it, according to the .
Salazar faced eight charges in 8th Judicial District Court: vehicular homicide — driving under the influence; vehicular homicide — reckless driving; vehicular assault — driving under the influence; reckless manslaughter; reckless vehicular assault; criminally negligent homicide; tampering with physical evidence; and DUI, according to court records.
On Monday, Salazar pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and vehicular assault, both with a DUI basis, and tampering with physical evidence. The plea agreement states that if Salazar is accepted into Community Corrections, a sentencing alternative in lieu of prison for felony offenders, he will be part of that program for four to 12 years if the sentences are concurrent or six to 19.5 years if the sentences are consecutive, meaning one after another. His remaining charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal, according to court records.
If Salazar is denied, he could face up to 12 years in prison.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 17 in 8th Judicial District Court in Fort Collins.
