A Fort Lupton man was sentenced to 45 years in prison last week for a 2022 Weld County crash that killed a Layette man.
In February, Anthony Eagle, 48, took a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and driving under the influence – fourth or subsequent offense.
As part of the agreement, attorneys stipulated a sentencing range of 35 to 45 years in prison. Last week, Weld District Court Judge Marcelo Kopcow levied the maximum sentence allowed by the plea deal, according to a release.
“The facts of this case are some of the most egregious I’ve ever seen in my career as a prosecutor,” Deputy District Attorney Katherine Fitzgerald said in a statement. “Not only are the facts aggravating, but his criminal history is also extremely aggravating. This man should have never been given this many chances to get behind the wheel. It’s an understatement when I say his actions were selfish and that the results were horrific and heartbreaking.”
According to the release, Eagle was convicted of six prior alcohol-related driving offenses in other jurisdictions stemming back to 1994. At the time of the fatal crash, he was on probation for a 2022 drunk driving offense in Adams County.
On Nov. 2, 2022, crews were called to a crash of Weld County Road 16 and Weld County Road 19, where 38-year-old Jesus Rios had been killed in a car crash. According to a release, shortly after the crash, a witness pulled over to help at the scene, leaving his 15-year-old daughter in the car. Eagle then fled the scene by stealing the truck and driving away with the girl still inside.
The girl was able to jump out of the truck before Eagle crashed, the release said.
During the sentencing hearing Rios’ teenage daughters spoke about the impact of losing their father.
“My life completely changed for the worse,” one daughter said. “He was the light in my world. For my high school graduation, a picture was all I was able to have. Never in a million years did I think I would have to close a casket on my dad.”
Added Rios’ other daughter: “To me, my dad was my entire world. He’s the man I’ll always look up to. He won’t be here anymore to congratulate me or my siblings for any of our achievements. I not only lost my dad, I lost my best friend.”
