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Former Aurora officer sentenced 18 months for fatal March crash

Eduardo Landeros was driving over 100 mph before the crash

An 18th Judicial District judge sentenced a former Aurora police officer to 18 months in prison, two years of mandatory parole and $6,481 in restitution following an on-duty crash that killed one civilian.

Eduardo Landeros, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of criminally negligent homicide in an August crash that killed 44-year-old Elias Anderson. District Judge David Karpel sentenced him Monday, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

The crash happened around 8:20 p.m. March 4 at the intersection of East Bates Avenue and South Chambers Road. Landeros was responding to a burglary call when another driver — later identified as Anderson — pulled out in front of him.

Anderson was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries. Landeros broke his elbow and was placed on injury leave, according to the Aurora Police Department. The department initiated an internal affairs investigation and scheduled Landeros for an interview on April 26. He resigned on April 25, according to the department.

Body camera footage showed that Landeros was driving over 100 mph, listening to music and reaching for his touch-screen computer in the moments before the crash. The burglary call he was responding to was considered non-emergent, according to arrest records. He was not using emergency lights or a siren.

“This defendant’s inexcusable recklessness took the life of an Aurora citizen—one of the very people the defendant had sworn to protect.  This was a completely avoidable tragedy,” Senior Deputy DA Michael Mauro said in a statement. “Consistent with our approach in cases involving similar misconduct, we sought a prison sentence to punish and deter such behavior.  The sentence is an appropriate and just disposition.”

 

Colorado State Patrol troopers reconstructed the collision, estimating that Anderson was only traveling between 16 and 18 mph at the time of the crash, while Landeros was moving between 88 and 98 mph.

Elias Anderson was a father of two. His father described him as incredibly funny, smart and a great dad, according to The Denver Gazette’s news partner, 9News. His sister, Molly Anderson, said her brother was a talented musician. His ex-wife, Dayna Shafer, said the day of the crash was the worst day of her life and her grief turned into rage. 

According to 9News, Judge Karpel told Landeros his punishment is much shorter than the one Anderson’s family has to endure — a life without Elias. 

The Denver Gazette’s news partner, 9News, contributed to this story

FILE PHOTO (AndreyPopov/iStock/Getty Images)
FILE PHOTO (AndreyPopov/iStock/Getty Images)


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