A Jefferson County judge has sentenced a wrong-way driver to 12 years in state prison for a head-on crash on Interstate 70 that killed a Wheat Ridge mother and injured her 2-year-old son, a case that has her family demanding tougher DUI penalties.
The crash happened on March 13, 2025, near the Ward Road interchange in Wheat Ridge. Prosecutors said 35-year-old Jian Bin Chen pleaded guilty to multiple counts, including vehicular homicide by DUI, vehicular homicide by reckless driving, reckless endangerment and several traffic offenses. He received a 12-year sentence, the maximum allowed under Colorado law for the lead charge, according to The Denver Post. Court filings show additional misdemeanor and traffic sentences were imposed, but they will run at the same time as the prison term.
Relatives filled the courtroom for sentencing and said no prison term could match their loss. One family member called the 12-year punishment a “slap on the hand.” The woman killed has been identified by her family and local reporting as Jody Weber Chavez. Her husband and extended family say her 2-year-old son survived the crash but is deeply traumatized, according to Denver7.
How the crash unfolded
Investigators say Chen drove his Lexus into the eastbound lanes of I-70 while traveling west near the Ward Road on-ramp and then crashed nearly head-on into a Ford Escape. The wrong-way approach and impact were captured on traffic and private security cameras reviewed by first responders. Initial reports and arrest affidavits described a strong odor of alcohol at the scene along with other signs of impairment, according to reporting by CBS Colorado.
Sentence, fines and restitution
In addition to the prison time, Chen was ordered to pay about $22,500 in victim compensation and roughly $1,200 in fines. Prosecutors described the case as “aggravated” and urged the judge to impose the maximum available sentence under state law, according to The Denver Post. Defense attorneys told the court that Chen had completed treatment classes and asked for leniency. Chen spoke briefly, telling the judge he would try to reform himself.
Aftermath and calls for change
The outcome has reignited debate over drunk-driving enforcement and penalties in the Denver metro area. Members of Chavez’s family have urged state leaders to toughen DUI homicide laws and push for longer potential prison terms. Wheat Ridge officials have pointed to a spike in DUI crashes, roughly a 62% increase in 2024, as one factor behind stepped-up enforcement and growing community frustration, according to CBS Colorado…