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[DREBBIN]

Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)

September 29, 2005 Thursday Final Edition

16 1/2 YEARS FOR DEADLY DRIVER;
HABITUAL OFFENDER FLED AFTER KILLING DENVER MOTORCYCLIST

BYLINE: Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News

On the night it happened, 9-year-old Kailya Goodman awoke to the sound of her mother answering the phone, then crying.

Moments later, Kailya's mother entered her room and gave her the news that changed her life.

"Your dad's dead and it's going to be all right," Christine Goodman told her daughter.

On Wednesday, more than a year later, the habitual traffic offender who killed Justin Goodman, 32, of Denver, in a car-motorcycle crash at East 88th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard was sentenced to 16 1/2 years in prison.

Roberto Martinez-Ruiz, 34, was convicted in July of crimes including leaving the scene of an accident involving death, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and tampering with evidence.

He received the maximum sentence, bringing some solace to the heartbroken family that packed the courtroom.

Through a translator before the sentence was handed down, the father of three pleaded for a light sentence.

"I apologize for the damages to the Goodman family, and I want to ask the judge to give me a chance to be put back in society one more time," Martinez-Ruiz said.

Judge Scott Crabtree instead sided with the victim's family members and the prosecution, who said that Martinez-Ruiz already had received too many chances.

In 1999, Martinez-Ruiz was arrested in a misdemeanor hit-and-run case. He's also been arrested for drunken driving, driving without insurance and driving with a revoked license.

The stiffest penalty Martinez-Ruiz had received prior to Wednesday was 90 days in jail, and that was for a theft conviction, court records show.

After the July 1, 2004, crash that killed Goodman, witnesses said they watched Martinez-Ruiz slow down, apparently realize what he'd done and then speed off. He then hid his sport utility vehicle and got one of his children and another relative to lie to police about the accident.

It took Thornton police six months to arrest him.

At trial, he and his lawyer, Thomas Helgeson, tried unsuccessfully to convince the jury that Martinez- Ruiz's brother-in-law caused the accident.

Prosecutor Ted Tow told the judge on Wednesday that Martinez- Ruiz has avoided taking responsibility for the accident ever since he fled the scene. Tow asked for a prison sentence in the "high double-digits," so that Martinez-Ruiz couldn't do any more harm.

"I find that you are a danger to the community," Crabtree told Martinez-Ruiz as he pronounced sentence, which also includes nine years of mandatory parole, plus more than $6,500 in restitution and court costs.

"Justice has been served," Christine Goodman said.

[ccr]

When the now 10-year-old Kailya Goodman is walking down the aisle, as they are releasing the man who killed her Dad, and she does not have her Dad with her to give her away or to see the child she brings into this world with no grandfather, I am sure she will believe it is not enough. No, I don't think that justice is served.  IMHO of course.

[Screamin]

When the now 10-year-old Kailya Goodman is walking down the aisle, as they are releasing the man who killed her Dad, and she does not have her Dad with her to give her away or to see the child she brings into this world with no grandfather, I am sure she will believe it is not enough. No, I don't think that justice is served.

[MYCVO]

When the now 10-year-old Kailya Goodman is walking down the aisle, as they are releasing the man who killed her Dad, and she does not have her Dad with her to give her away or to see the child she brings into this world with no grandfather, I am sure she will believe it is not enough. No, I don't think that justice is served.

[JCZ]

A little more "justice" in Colorado than in South Dakota (remember Congressman Jankalow......who is out on the streets already!).

[mr_magoo]

How does the $6500 fine come close to what the guy would have made in his life time.  He was probably the bread winner for the family(not to stereo type) wonder if they will keep the house, lose the car, etc?  Nope not even close

[JCZ]

How does the $6500 fine come close to what the guy would have made in his life time.

[CVOJOE]

Think it leans toward this individual bening "illegal" here and there's no money to be had for the family. As Mrs, said there really can never be enough done for that young girl. Hopefully this guy will end up with a biker roomdawg in the joint.