BROOMFIELD, Colo. — A man was sentenced to 24 years in prison for a Dec. 2023 DUI crash that killed a Broomfield mother and her 16-year-old son.
The crash happened on the afternoon of Dec. 12 at Main Street and Miramonte Boulevard in Broomfield. According to Broomfield police, the driver of a 2000 Toyota Tundra crashed into a 2016 Mazda CX-5, killing Melissa Powell, 46, and her 16-year-old son, Riordan.
Jose Menjivar, 38, was identified as the driver of the Toyota. He was treated at a hospital and then booked into the Broomfield County Jail on multiple charges. Investigators believed alcohol and speed were contributing factors in the crash.
Watch our previous coverage in the video player below:
Investigators determined that Menjivar was traveling between 80 and 100 miles per hour in a 40 mph zone, according to the 17th Judicial District Attorney's Office. At one point, he crossed the double yellow centerline as he passed other vehicles.
Officers found at least two empty beer cans and an open beer can inside Menjivar's pickup truck. Menjivar's blood alcohol content (BAC) was more than three times the legal limit, the DA's office said.
Menjivar pleaded guilty on Sept. 19 to two counts of vehicular homicide — driving under the influence (DUI) as part of a plea deal. He was sentenced Friday to 24 years in prison.
The district attorney's office said Menjivar had at least five previous DUI convictions, dating back to 2007. On Dec. 8, 2023, he was sentenced to 365 days in a jail work release program for three separate DUIs in Boulder. The DA's office said Menjivar was granted a stay on that sentence until a space became available in the Boulder jail's work release program.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.