• 17
  • June
    2010

24-year-old Justin Dorrill, a student at Adams State College, in Alamosa, Colorado, was recently sentenced to four years of probation for his role in a DUI/DWAI accident that left four people seriously injured. As part of his sentence, Dorrill was ordered to perform 400 hours of community service, spend 90 days in jail, and speak to students at least six times a year about the dangers of drunk driving.

The accident occurred during the early morning hours of November 1, 2009. A group of four people (Margaret Rangel, Mia Ybarra, Pete Garcia, and John Aurellano) was standing on an Alamosa street speaking with a police officer, when Dorrill turned the corner and drove his automobile straight into them.

At the time of his arrest, Dorrill had a blood alcohol content of .174, more than two times Colorado's legal limit of .08. He subsequently pleaded guilty to reckless vehicular assault and vehicular assault while driving under the influence.

The injuries suffered by the four victims of the DUI/DWAI accident were incredibly severe: Margaret Rangel had part of her left leg amputated, Mia Ybarra broke her hand,
and John Aurellano seriously injured his knee. In addition, Pete Garcia, who is wheelchair bound, suffered a collapsed lung.

At the sentencing hearing in May (continued until June 7), prosecutors sought a sentence of four years in a community corrections program. However, the 12th Judicial District's Probation Department recommended three years of probation after completing its pre-sentence investigation.

In handing down the sentence, Judge Martin Gonzales indicated that while his decision would undoubtedly make some people unhappy, it was appropriate under the circumstances. He noted that Dorrill had shown true remorse for his victims, and was clearly influenced by both the suffering of the victims and his time served in jail.

In his tearful statement to the court, Dorrill offered his apologies to the victims and said he had already addressed a group of high school students about the perils and consequences of drunk driving.

Related Resources:   
• Alamosa Drunken Driver Gets 4 Years' Probation (The Pueblo Chieftain)