This story first appeared in a Colorado Community Media newspaper. Support CCM’s neighborhood news.
A jury found a truck driver who struck and killed Colorado State Patrol Trooper Cody Donahue guilty on two of three counts.
Noe Gamez-Ruiz was found guilty of careless driving while passing an emergency vehicle resulting in death, a Class 1 traffic offense, and failure to remain in a single lane, a minor traffic offense. A judge could sentence him to probation or up to 12 months in jail.
The jury found Gamez-Ruiz not guilty of careless driving resulting in death, also a Class 1 traffic offense.
District Court Judge Jeffrey Holmes announced the verdict at roughly 10:45 a.m. on Monday after jurors spent that morning and several hours on Friday deliberating. The weeklong trial began May 3 with jury selection and reached closing arguments by May 7.
Donahue died on Nov. 25, 2016 while investigating a separate crash on the side of Interstate 25 south of Castle Rock.
The trooper was standing between a crashed vehicle parked on the right shoulder and the interstate’s far-right fog lane when Gamez-Ruiz passed the scene driving a U.S. Foods truck, hitting and killing Donahue instantly.