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A Colorado man who killed an Air Power veteran whereas driving drunk final yr will spend the remainder of his life behind bars after he was discovered responsible of first-degree homicide.
Paul Stephenson, 57, of Citadel Rock, was convicted in April of killing USAF Lt. Col. Matt Anderson and injuring his 4 kids after he crashed his truck into their automobile whereas driving drunk in August 2024.
Stephenson was sentenced to life in jail plus 92 years.
Anderson was stopped at a 7-Eleven fuel station along with his household following a visit to the Douglas County Truthful when he was killed, based on the twenty third Judicial District Lawyer’s Workplace. His spouse was strolling into the shop when Stephenson drove his Chevy Silverado into their automobile.
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Paul Stephenson was discovered responsible of first-degree homicide after he killed a USAF veteran whereas driving residence. (twenty third Judicial District Lawyer’s Workplace)
Whereas in courtroom, Stephenson admitted to consuming a bottle of fireball whiskey and two beers earlier than driving and his blood alcohol stage was 2.5 occasions the authorized restrict, the DA’s workplace mentioned.
Stephenson racked up his third DUI conviction when he was discovered responsible of killing Anderson.
District Lawyer George Brauchler mentioned his workplace pursued the first-degree homicide cost to “ship a message to drunk drivers in Douglas County.”
Brauchler, who prosecuted the case, mentioned it’s a “bitter coincidence” that justice was handed down in opposition to Anderson’s killer at some point earlier than July Fourth.
USAF Lt. Col. Matt Anderson had simply left the Douglas County Truthful along with his household when he was struck and killed. (twenty third Judicial District Lawyer’s Workplace)
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“It’s a bitter coincidence that the day earlier than we have a good time our nation’s independence, we’ve to confront the lack of one in every of America’s nice Patriots who died… Not by the hands of the enemy… However by the egocentric conduct of one in every of us,” Bruachler mentioned.
“The one acceptable sentence on this case is the one that can forestall issues like this from occurring once more by scaring the hell out of those that would have interaction in related habits.”
USAF Lt. Col. Matt Anderson along with his spouse and his kids. (twenty third Judicial District Lawyer’s Workplace)
Brauchler acknowledged that Douglas County is essentially the most aggressive on drunk drivers in comparison with different jurisdictions within the space.
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Anderson’s father mentioned the decision provides their household “a small quantity of closure” and thanked the businesses concerned in handing the sentence down.
Senior Deputy District Lawyer Nate Marsh counseled the jury’s resolution and mentioned it mirrored how critical it’s to drive drunk.
“The defendant cared solely about himself and confirmed an entire disregard for the worth of human life. This was homicide within the first degree-extreme indifference and the jury agreed. His life sentence will guarantee he can not rip anybody else from their household,” Marsh mentioned.
