Driver sentenced to prison in Magnus White case
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Yeva Smilianska is surrounded by her lawyers inside the courtroom at Boulder County Courthouse on March 31, 2025. Photo: Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
The driver convicted of killing 17-year-old cycling star Magnus White in a 2023 crash on Diagonal Highway was sentenced to four years in prison on Friday.
The latest: Boulder District Judge Dea Lindsey sentenced Yeva Smilianksa, 24, after hours of emotional testimony.
- Smilianska was convicted in April on one count of vehicular homicide - reckless.
- Prosecutors said she passed out at the wheel while driving on Diagonal Highway and hit White, who was riding on the shoulder.
The big picture: As a rising star in the cycling world, White's death became international news.
- In addition to the existing fears surrounding cyclist safety, allegations from the family of law enforcement missteps and the defendant's changing accounts of the crash fueled the community interest and outrage surrounding the trial.
Zoom in: While the judge did not opt for the full six years requested by prosecutors and White's family, she felt a community-based sentence like probation was "not appropriate" given the facts of the case.
- Lindsey said Smilianska "lied about this crash for many months." Smilianska initially blamed the crash on her car's steering and denied passing out at the wheel.
What they're saying: Prosecutors and White's family members repeatedly emphasized at Friday's hearing what Dougherty called a "complete failure to accept responsibility and express any genuine remorse."
- Dougherty said Smilianska made a "mockery" of the court process by posing for photos with friends and attorneys during breaks in her trial.
The other side: Family and friends testified Friday Smilianska has always shown little emotion.
- Smilianska said Friday through an interpreter, "I am extremely sorry and sorrowful for the tragic grief that I caused them … No matter what I look like outside, I am living through this grief very deeply."
Flashback: White, a decorated USA national team cyclist, was killed on July 29 while on a training ride near his home in Boulder.
Between the lines: White's friend and fellow rider Rylie Cahill said Friday continued fatal crashes would drive young cyclists away from the sport.
- White's family started the White Line foundation in his honor and have been active in advocating for legislation to protect cyclists.
What's next: Dougherty said Smilianska would serve out her prison sentence in Colorado.
- Both the DA's Office and the judge said they had no part in deportation or any other immigration consequences for Smilianska, who is from Ukraine and has a green card permitting her to live and work in the U.S., according to her attorneys.