Jury convicts driver who killed 17-year-old Boulder cyclist Magnus White

USA Cycling junior cyclist Magnus White of Boulder Ethan Glading Courtesy of USA Cycling A Boulder County jury on Friday night convicted the driver who struck and killed -year-old rising cycling star Magnus White nearly two years ago Jurors identified Yeva Smilianska guilty of one count of reckless vehicular homicide for fatally hitting the USA Cycling junior cyclist on Colo in July Smilianska who remains out of custody is scheduled to be sentenced June She faces a presumptive sentence of two to six years in prison but the sentence is probation-eligible according to Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty White was riding his bike southbound on Colo just south of the rd Street intersection in Boulder County at p m July when he was hit by Smilianska who was driving a Toyota Matrix that had crossed from the righthand lane into the shoulder according to Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gabriel Moltrer White was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead Investigators announced in an arrest affidavit that based on the totality of circumstances it appears the bulk likely that Smilianska was asleep at the time of the crash Following Friday s verdict White s parents spoke outside the Boulder County Justice Center We want to start with Magnus because it was his life that was stolen He was our boy our beautiful beautiful boy and brother Magnus s mother Jill explained at the news conference Jill White commented she would often rub her son s feet each night something she did when she last saw him before he died He was a leader on the bike he was a leader off the bike So a multitude of of his friends looked up to him and considered him a best friend Jill White stated During the news conference the Whites criticized the agencies that responded to the crash including the Colorado State Patrol Make no mistake that driver killed Magnus but the trial revealed something else the systemic failure by those whose job it is to protect the masses Michael White Magnus s father commented Michael White noted CSP was understaffed protocols were not followed and Smilianska was never drug-tested but his son was He added A state trooper visited us at the hospital later that day as we held onto the last moments of our son s life We thought she would tell us they were inspecting the driver who killed our son and instead we were notified the driver did everything right It was incredibly hurtful and left us wondering if Magnus s death was even being taken seriously Yeva Smilianska testifies on day five of her trial in the death of cyclist Magnus White in a Boulder courtroom on April She is shown on the day of the crash in the photos on the upper left Cliff Grassmick Daily Camera Magnus death was not a accident it was a crime During the news conference Michael White disclosed cocaine could be seen in admitted evidence that was later redacted The jury also did not have access to text conversations that Smilianska had with another person the day of the crash about buying cocaine he explained According to White mentions of cocaine were never allowed to be considered by the jury It was not clear from the court proceedings that Smilianska was under the influence of cocaine or had the drug in her possession at the time of the crash Magnus s death was not a accident it was a crime Michael White stated Please continue to walk with us and speak Magnus s name and stand with every family whose loved one was stolen from them by a reckless or careless driver Michael White noted tearing up We ll never stop missing our Magnus and we will never stop fighting for him Magnus White s parents founded a nonprofit in their son s honor called the The White Line It was founded to preserve honor and use the legacy of U S National Organization Member and U S National Champion Magnus White to inspire cyclists globally to help their expansion to raise awareness of bicycle and automobile safety and create change for safer cycling environments according to a news release Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty gives the closing argument for the prosecution in the death of Magnus White in a Boulder courtroom on Friday April The bike on the left was the one Magnus White was riding when he was hit by Yeva Smilianska Cliff Grassmick Daily Camera That shutdown that wasn t seeing Magnus that was her exhaustion Earlier on Friday Deputy District Attorney Trish Mittelstadt walked jurors through the evidence before asking them to find Smilianska guilty of reckless vehicular homicide On July the defendant recklessly drove her car smashing into the back of Magnus White s bicycle killing him The defendant stayed up all night drinking with the friend and got little sleep before deciding to get on Mittelstadt mentioned Mittelstadt mentioned Smilianska consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable danger She swerves two times and then on the last time she crashes right into the back of him sending him flying in the air Mittelstadt commented She continued This is not dozing off behind the wheel this is passing out because when you doze off and you hit a bicyclist and they crash into your car you wake up Mittelstadt also noted multiple bystanders testified that Smilianska s demeanor was odd following the crash Her demeanor didn t change from when she got out of the car to when she walked over Mittelstadt mentioned That shutdown that wasn t seeing Magnus that was her exhaustion In the defense s closing arguments attorney Timur Kishinevsky revealed Smilianska is entitled to be who she is We re not all the same particular people can take grief and shock differently Kishinevsky noted In rebuttal Dougherty noted the bystanders testimony about trying to help White on the scene It s in the face of tragedy it s in the face of death it s in the face of unspeakable loss that people do the right thing Dougherty disclosed And while that s happening the defendant is asking to leave and is showing no remorse Deputy District Attorney Trish Mittelstadt gives the first part of the prosecution s closing argument in Yeva Smilianska s trial for the death of Magnus White in a Boulder courtroom on Friday April Cliff Grassmick Daily Camera Related Articles Trial of driver who killed teen cyclist Magnus White opens in Boulder Woman to be charged in death of Boulder cyclist Magnus White Boulder cyclist Magnus White remembered for talent determination Despite the noticeably odd behavior six law enforcement officers did not see signs of intoxication according to the court proceedings Mittelstadt revealed Smilianska was exhausted and hungover the morning of the crash but she made clear that this was not a DUI incident This is a circumstance about reckless driving and the decisions the defendant made that led to Magnus s death not DUI Mittelstadt noted Kishinevsky later criticized the prosecution and reported they were taking a back door approach to making the circumstance about alcohol Mittelstadt also noted that at three different times including when presented with opposing evidence Smilianska reported the crash was caused by a steering malfunction Mittelstadt then manifested the body camera footage of Smilianska at the scene of the crash explaining that her steering wheel got stuck She continued to tell this story not because she couldn t accept this she didn t want to be held responsible for it Mittelstadt reported Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day