Man gets 60 years for crash that killed 3 in Colorado, including child in ice cream shop

Man gets 60 years for 3 deaths in Colorado crash

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — An illegal immigrant was sentenced Monday to 60 years in prison for a crash that killed three people, including a 3-year-old boy inside a Colorado ice cream shop.

Francis Hernandez, 26, of Guatemala was sentenced for the deaths of Marten Kudlis, Deborah Serecky and Patricia Guntharp.

Marten’s father, Murat Kudlis, said during sentencing that he wanted Hernandez to receive the maximum sentence.

“We miss (Marten) very much,” the father said. “My wife is pregnant with a little girl and she will never know her big brother.”

A jury convicted Hernandez of vehicular homicide and other charges in February.

Prosecutors said Hernandez was driving an SUV at twice the speed limit when it crashed into a pickup truck carrying the two women. The truck then crashed into an ice cream store in the east-Denver suburb of Aurora in September 2008.

The case sparked calls for immigration reform after it became known that Hernandez had avoided deportation despite a dozen prior arrests in Colorado. Authorities said he used 12 aliases and two dates of birth to slip under the radar of immigration officials.

Before he was sentenced by District Judge John Wheeler, Hernandez took the stand and read a letter begging for mercy and apologizing to the victims’ families. He also said he has two little girls who need him.