Driver Sentenced In Deadly Hit & Run That Killed Cyclist
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4)- More than two dozen cyclists supporting the memory of a bicyclist who was struck and killed in a hit and run, believe the sentence isn't harsh enough for the driver.
Theresa O'Connor admitted to striking and killing bicyclist Ernesto Wiedenbrug near Windsor on Jan. 25 and then driving away.
Wiedenbrug, 46, died from his injuries.
A judge sentenced O'Connor, 29, to four years probation for leaving the scene of a crash and one year in jail that can be served as work release.
"Basically it says it's okay to hit a cyclist and leave them there for dead," said cyclist Dan Porter.
Wiedenbrug was a beloved scientist who had been out for a ride along the Frontage Road in Windsor. He was born in Argentina and lived in Fort Collins where he was working as an engineer.
Days after the crash, O'Connor, from Fort Collins, turned herself into police after seeking an attorney's advice.
O'Connor apologized in court. Her attorney blamed the crash on a medical condition that causes her to feel dizzy.
Friends and family want to know, if she felt dizzy, why didn't O'Connor stop driving?
"I think the fact that she has to live with what she did is far more harsh than what any court could do," said Porter.
Wiedenbrug's two brothers live in Germany and could not appear in court for the sentencing. They delivered statements via video, saying their brother had a heart as big as himself and that justice was one of his most important values.
