Jeff Sloan Gets 72 Years For Killing 2 Men After Crashing Stolen Car
DENVER (CBS4) -- Jeffrey Sloan, 37, of Glendale, was sentenced to 72 years in prison for a deadly crash. Denver police say Sloan ran a red light in a stolen car in Denver and smashed into another vehicle, killing two men in the other car.
The crash happened on June 9, 2019, and killed driver Yasir Hasan and passenger Mark Karla.
In August, a jury found Sloan guilty of all counts, including vehicular homicide.
"The victims were doing everything that was right and did nothing wrong," Denver District Court Judge John Madden said when imposing the sentence. "No sentence can reflect the magnitude of the lives lost and their value to their families and community."
Denver police officers located a stolen Jeep Liberty on the street on June 9. They say Sloan drove off at a high rate of speed. Officers did not chase the Liberty, per department policy.
Investigators say Sloan ran a red light at the intersection of Colfax Avenue and Colorado Boulevard and broadsided a Honda Insight driven by Hasan. Sloan got out and ran off after the crash.
Hasan, who was 33, died at the scene. His passenger, Mark Karla, who was 45, was seriously injured. He was taken to a hospital but did not recover.
Family of both victims attended the sentencing hearing on Oct. 9.
District Attorney George Brauchler noted the defendant's criminal history when he urged the court to impose a lengthy sentence.
"This is a person who does not feel bound by the law. He wants to avoid responsibility for his conduct at every opportunity. … This killer of two has lived a life of crime, and on top of that, this gutless coward tried to lie his way out of responsibility," Brauchler said.
Judge Madden agreed.
"The effort to get out of trouble makes the situation far worse. Your efforts to avoid contact with police led to the deaths of two perfectly innocent individuals," he told Sloan.
