Truck driver in deadly I-70 crash in Columbia to be sentenced for manslaughter
Nia Hinson
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A man who killed two women while driving on Interstate 70 in Columbia in 2024 will be sentenced Tuesday afternoon.
Walter Montejo pleaded guilty to lesser charges in connection with the deadly crash in September. As part of the plea, Montejo was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of fourth-degree assault.
His attorney and the prosecution also agreed that as part of the deal, Montejo would face a maximum of four years in prison. However, a judge will have the final say Tuesday.
Court documents say Montejo killed Cindy Helms, 54, of Rockwood, Tennessee, and Melvina Colin, 84, of Broomfield, Colorado, in August 2024 on Interstate 70 in Columbia. His tractor-trailer crossed the median and crashed head-on into the U-Haul that Helms and Colin were in.
Two lawsuits against Montejo and his employers have been filed by relatives of Helms and Colin.
Court records also show Montejo entered a lane when it wasn’t safe to do so and over-corrected.
During Montejo’s plea hearing, a judge said he could also face deportation as a result of accepting the plea.
Jail records show he is being held on an immigration detainer. He is originally from El Salvador.
Sentencing is set for 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Boone County Courthouse.