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Almost two years after USA Cycling talent Magnus White was struck and killed while out training, the driver in question was found guilty by a Boulder County jury.
On Friday the jury found Yeva Smilianska guilty of one count of reckless vehicular homicide in relation to the incident on Colo. 119 on July 29 2023.
The 17 year old rider White was on a training ride when he was struck by Smilianska.
According to the crash report, she was traveling at the speed limit but “drifted out of her lane and into the paved right shoulder.”
He was hit from behind and later pronounced dead. He was days away from travelling to Scotland to represent Team USA at the junior mountain bike world championships.
Investigators said in an arrest affidavit that “based on the totality of circumstances, it appears most likely that Smilianska was asleep at the time of the crash.”
On Friday the Deputy District Attorney Trish Mittelstadt spoke about the circumstances and requested the jurors declare Smilianska guilty of reckless vehicular homicide.
“On July 29, 2023, the defendant recklessly drove her car, smashing into the back of Magnus White’s bicycle, killing him,” she said, according to the Denver Post.
“The defendant stayed up all night, drinking with the friend and got little sleep before deciding to get on 119.
“She swerves two times, and then on the last time, she crashes right into the back of him, sending him flying in the air.”
Now 24, Smilianska is due to be sentenced June 13. She could face two to six years in prison. However Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said that the sentence is probation-eligible.
‘Not an accident, a crime’
Speaking in a news conference on Friday, White’s father Michael said cocaine could be seen in admitted evidence that was later redacted.
He stated that the jury did not have access to text conversations the driver had with another person the day of the crash about buying cocaine.
The Denver Post stated that it was not clear from court proceedings that Smilianska was under the influence of cocaine or had the drug in her possession at the time of the crash.
According to White, she was never drug tested, despite what witnesses said was odd behavior.
Dougherty referred to witnesses’ testimony about efforts to assist White at the scene of the crash.
“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,” he said. “And while that’s happening, the defendant is asking to leave and is showing no remorse.”
However Mittelstadt said Smilianska was “exhausted and hungover” the morning of the crash. She said that this was not a DUI case.
“This is a case about reckless driving and the decisions the defendant made that led to Magnus’s death, not DUI,” Mittelstadt said.
White’s father was critical of those 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 public,” he said.
He said that the Colorado State Patrol was understaffed and that protocols were not followed.
“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 investigating the driver who killed our son, and instead, we were told the driver did everything right.
“It was incredibly hurtful and left us wondering if Magnus’s death was even being taken seriously.
“Magnus’s death was not an accident, it was a crime,” he said.
Moving film documents life and death of talented young cyclist
In December 2023 White’s family created a non-profit called The White Line.
It followed a fundraising drive which to date has raised over $148,000.
“Because of the generous donations we received from Magnus’s GoFundMe, we are able to launch the foundation with funds,” his father said in December.
“The White Line is more than a tribute; it’s a commitment to fostering a community where cyclists can pursue their passion safely, with the spirit of Magnus as our guiding light.”
The family released a short film about their son and his accident.
Entitled ‘Lives Worth Remembering: Magnus White’, the poignant clip can be watched below.
The foundation’s website stated then that it was the first in a series that will share the stories of cyclists killed by drivers.
“Every year, cyclists from all over the world, tragically have their lives taken from them, leaving behind shattered dreams and grieving families,” the website states.
“This series, ‘Lives Worth Remembering,’ pays tribute to these fallen riders, celebrating the vibrant and dynamic lives they lived and the profound impact they had on their communities.”
On Friday Michael White asked people to keep his son and others in mind.
“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,” he said.
“We’ll never stop missing our Magnus, and we will never stop fighting for him.”
