Truck driver in crash that killed family of five charged

A truck driver involved in a fatal crash on Interstate 25 that killed a family of five has been charged with five counts of vehicular homicide.

Jesus Puebla, 26, was taken into custody Thursday evening and was charged in the case stemming from a June 13 crash in Weld County.

Puebla, from Denver, also is charged with careless driving, reckless driving, a commercial vehicle safety violation and for not having a commercial license, all traffic violations. The five counts of vehicular homicide are felonies.

The crash happened about 1: 30 p. m. in the northbound lanes of I- 25 just south of Colorado 66. The family was returning home to Gillette, Wyo.

Puebla was driving a 1999 Kenworth T800 box truck at the time of the four- vehicle crash. The family was in a 2015 Ford Edge driven by 20- yearold Aaron Godines. Also killed in the crash were Emiliano and Christina Godines, Aaron’s parents; Halie Everts, Aaron’s wife; and their 3- month- old daughter, Tessleigh Godines.

Puebla’s truck rear- ended the Ford Edge with the family inside, according to an arrest affidavit. After the initial collision, the commercial truck collided with the Edge a second time.

The box truck was traveling about 76 mph when it hit the Ford, according to the affidavit. Traffic had backed up and slowed to a crawl; the Ford was going about 6 mph when it was hit. There was no indication that Puebla braked or veered to avoid the collision. A State Patrol investigator determined the commercial truck “had several violations relating to the brakes,” the affidavit said.