DENVER (KDVR) — Oslaida Mederos is holding on to hope that the coming days will bring a life-changing development for her 26-year-old son.
“I am in shock because I can’t believe the big injustice that is happening to my son,” she said.
Last week, Rogel Aguilera-Mederos was sentenced to 110 years behind bars for the role he played in the April 2019 fiery crash on Interstate 70 that killed four people and injured at least 10 others.
It’s a punishment his mom argued is fit for someone who had the intention to kill. She said the crash was an accident and her son doesn’t have the heart to hurt anyone.
In the days after that emotional court hearing, the outcry over the decadeslong sentence has grown louder.
“I’m so thankful to God for all of the people who are supporting me financially for his cause, and also through prayers and signatures,” Oslaida said.
A petition asking for clemency for Rogel had gained more than 4.6 million signatures as of Tuesday.
And the case got an unexpected boost from celebrity Kim Kardashian West, who shared information on Rogel’s case to her tens of millions of followers on social media, saying she is praying Gov. Jared Polis will reduce the sentence. The post had Oslaida at a loss for words.
She’s also heard from truckers from all over the U.S. who say they are standing in solidarity with the Mederos family and are planning to protest.
“To the truckers, I owe them my life,” she said.
But even amid the encouragement and support, Oslaida said she’s suffered from very dark moments to the point where in the last week, she had to call a crisis line for help. She is also desperate to talk to Rogel over the phone, as she hasn’t spoken to him in days.
As Oslaida waits to learn the outcome of the district attorney’s request for a reconsideration of Rogel’s sentence, NewsNation affiliate KDVR asked her what she believes would be a just outcome for her son.
“The decision has to be the most right one. God has it in his hands,” she said.
When KDVR spoke with Oslaida on Tuesday, she had just learned about the DA’s request for reconsideration of Rogel’s sentence. She didn’t want to say much except that she plans to meet with her son’s lawyer Wednesday and plans to attend the clemency rally scheduled in support of her son.