Ricardo Gardea was drunk and hungry on Aug. 3 when he drove to grab a bite to eat and crashed into the back of a Jeep, causing the vehicle to burst into flames. Two people were inside the vehicle.
Gardea, who was initially told that the victims had both survived the crash, was unable to contain his emotions when he learned that he had critically injured the victims.
It's hard to listen to. But important if it can keep just one person from being in the situation that Ricardo Gardea put...
Posted by 9NEWS (KUSA) on Monday, August 22, 2016
KUSA reported that Steven Hughes and Sebastian Evridge, 21, were going to work when Gardea hit the back of their Jeep and damaged a total of six cars. Evridge was driving and later died from his injuries. Hughes told KUSA that "as much as 45 percent of his body was burned," but he remembers everything that happened.
"I figure I must get out of the Jeep and put myself out," Hughes said. "I felt guilty that I didn’t go back when I heard and (saw) him screaming."
Evridge was the father of young baby girl.
KMGH reported that Gardea, who was driving 80 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour zone, couldn't remember anything from the incident when he was questioned by detectives.
"All I remember was going to get something to eat," he told Denver police traffic investigations detectives from his hospital bed interview, according to KUSA. "Did I kill anybody? Did I kill somebody?"
During his first interview with detectives, Gardea was unaware that Evridge died. He is seen on video becoming remorseful.
"Is there anything you’d like to say to (the victims)?" a detective asked him.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be so irresponsible. I didn't mean to be so irresponsible. I’m sorry," Gardea said.
Gardea pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and first-degree assault, and was sentenced to 38 years in prison, KMGH reported.
But Evridge's father, Ray Evridge, said it's not enough.
"I'm not happy at all, but it's the best we can do for the state of Colorado," he said.
Ray Evridge said he would eventually forgive Gardea, but he would never forget.
"He's going to have to live with it, and I'm going to have to live with it," he said.
Read more at KUSA.
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