Colorado man sentenced to 10 years after teen passengers shot into another car
By Christa Swanson
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BROOMFIELD, Colorado (KCNC) — A Colorado court sentenced a man to 10 years in prison on Thursday for his role in a shooting last year that left one person injured.
Authorities said on Oct. 18, 2024, Rodolfo Piedra was driving a black pickup truck with a 13-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy in the vehicle, both of whom were armed. When he pulled up next to a car near Highway 36 and Northwest Parkway, the girl reportedly fired at the vehicle. A bullet grazed the man driving that vehicle on the head, and a bullet lodged in the car seat of his 4-year-old passenger.
Piedra then led Broomfield police officers on a chase until he went off the side of the road on Sheridan Boulevard near I-76. After a foot chase, police took all three suspects into custody.
He pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, vehicular eluding and unauthorized use of a vehicle in June.
During Piedra’s sentencing on Thursday, the defense asked the judge for the minimum sentence of 10 years, stating that he was a father of three and the only member of his family born in the United States, so he has a higher earning potential to help his family.
The prosecution read a letter from the mother of the 4-year-old child, who was in her boyfriend’s vehicle when they were attacked. She said they had to relocate, and that her son needed to change schools and be enrolled in therapy after the shooting. She also noted that her boyfriend hasn’t received his car back and said he wants compensation for emotional damage.
Piedra followed the victim’s vehicle at the urging of the 13-year-old girl, stated the prosecutor, who said the girl then pulled the gun on the victim and told him to consider what it would be like to die before firing at the vehicle. The prosecution asked the judge to sentence Piedra to 15-20 years.
The judge said that, although Piedra was not the one to shoot at the victims, he was the adult in the situation and allowed the actions of the juveniles with him, disregarding the safety of the victims and the community. She said that she believed the minimum sentence of 10 years was enough to address the seriousness of the offense, but expressed concern that imposing the minimum would indicate to Piedra that his actions weren’t that serious.
She sentenced Piedra to 10 years for his role in the shooting and chase, as well as 3 years for another offense, to be served concurrently.
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