JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — A drunk driver who was accused of killing a mother and hospitalizing her 2-year-old after he drove in the opposite lanes of Interstate 70 last year has pleaded guilty to the charges filed against him.
The First Judicial District Attorney's Office confirmed to Denver7 that Jian Bin Chen, 35, took a plea deal where he pleaded guilty to the following charges: two counts of vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment, driving under the influence (second alcohol-related offense), reckless driving, improper driving on a divided highway, careless driving and driving with expired license plates.
Chen faces a sentencing range of four to 12 years in prison, the district attorney's office told Denver7, explaining that the felonies are legally required to run concurrently to each other.
His sentencing is scheduled for April 3 at 8 a.m. Chen's trial was expected to start on Monday.
Nearly a month after Jody Chavez was killed in this crash, her family and friends gathered at Prospect Park to honor her legacy through a candlelight vigil. Watch Denver7's report on this below.
This case began early in the morning on March 13, 2025.
Police determined that a driver, later identified as Chen, who was 34 years old at the time, had been headed westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-70 in Wheat Ridge near Ward Road. That person then crashed nearly head-on with another driver. One person, identified as Jody Chavez, died at the scene. Her 2-year-old was brought to a hospital.
According to court documents obtained by Denver7, Chen previously pleaded guilty to a driving under the influence charge in 2019 and was sentenced to 18 months probation.
Watch Denver7's coverage from that day in the player below.
Family members told Denver7 the following day that Chavez was filled with "spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control."
Her husband Steven Chavez told us that his son is physically OK, but the pain of losing his mother was evident.
"Miraculously, he's OK," he said. "You know, I expected the worst. Usually when you have a head-on collision, people don't really walk away from it. Now, he's traumatized. He's not his normal self. Considering, you know, how tragic everything was and how serious the accident was, I'm very thankful that he came out OK."
In August, Chen pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
His sentencing is set for April 3.
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