Man pleads guilty in DUI crash that killed two near Broomfield school

In a heartbreaking turn of events, a mother and her teenage son lost their lives after being struck by a drunken driver outside of Broomfield High School last year. The driver, Jose Menjivar, 38, has recently pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular homicide.

Prior to the December 2023 crash, Menjivar had faced alcohol-related driving charges four times in Boulder County. Police reported that Menjivar was driving at twice the posted speed limit when he collided with the vehicle of Riordan and Melissa Powell.

Upon investigation, authorities discovered empty beer cans in Menjivar’s vehicle, on the roadway, and in an open case in the back of the car. Menjivar’s blood-alcohol content was tested at .249, well above the legal limit of .08.

Shockingly, Menjivar had been deported four times before the incident and was serving a sentence for a previous DUI case in a work-release program at the time of the crash. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials lodged an immigration detainer with Broomfield County soon after.

Menjivar entered a guilty plea for vehicular homicide on September 19, as per court records. He is currently held at the Broomfield Detention Center awaiting his sentencing, scheduled for Friday.