A Douglas County judge has sentenced a 28-year-old man for a deadly crash in Castle Rock that claimed the life of 69-year-old Kraig Kazda and left his wife injured. Samuel Michael pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and several related charges stemming from the February incident.
Prosecutors said Michael was driving drunk when he struck the couple as they crossed the street in a marked crosswalk. Two hours after the collision, his blood alcohol level was measured at nearly twice the legal limit. Following two hours of emotional testimony in court, the judge ordered Michael to serve four years in community corrections, with shorter sentences for the other charges running at the same time.
The courtroom was filled with members of the Kazda family, who described the 55 days Kraig spent fighting for his life after suffering a traumatic brain injury. He died last April in a rehabilitation facility. His wife, Michelle, told the court about the pain he endured in his final weeks. “They had to restrain him because he would keep pulling the oxygen tubes out of his nose,” she said. “He was shutting down.”
Michael’s attorney asked the judge to consider probation, describing him as a low risk for reoffending. Prosecutors, the Kazda family, and victims’ advocates strongly disagreed, urging the court to impose the maximum sentence allowed. “The defendant must be held fully accountable for his choices and the devastating consequences,” said Kazda’s son-in-law.
Michael spoke briefly, turning to the family to apologize. “There’s not a second in the day that I don’t wish I could take my own life and give his back,” he said. Colorado’s 23rd Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler criticized the state’s DUI sentencing laws after the hearing, saying the case illustrates their shortcomings.
“If you drive drunk and kill someone, you can walk out of court on probation,” he said. “If we’re going to value life, then by God, we need to change vehicular homicide to make it a mandatory prison charge.” The Kazda family and several DUI awareness advocates said they now plan to push for tougher sentencing laws at the state Capitol.
They hope their loss will help prevent future tragedies caused by impaired driving. Michael must now report to community corrections, pending acceptance into the program. If he is not approved, he is scheduled to return to court in January for resentencing.