LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — A driver who was convicted after striking and killing a 10-year-old cyclist in Timnath was sentenced to jail on Friday.
Amy Weiss was convicted of causing a fatal accident due to careless driving and admitted to tampering with evidence. The incident took place on Dec. 20, 2024, following her plea of guilt for the evidence tampering offense a few days prior, as indicated in legal records.
The event unfolded on Aug. 2 around 6 p.m. when Weiss, aged 54, was driving an Audi SUV from 2019 towards the east on River Pass Road. Her vehicle collided with a young cyclist traveling south on Saddle Horn Drive in a neighborhood in Timnath, according to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.
The cyclist, who was later identified as Oliver Stratton, 10, of Timnath, was transported to a hospital, where he died.
After examining the scene, investigators concluded that Weiss was likely distracted during the accident. Subsequently, in October, she was formally accused of careless driving resulting in death and tampering with physical evidence.
She pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence on Dec. 16, and was found guilty of the careless driving charge a couple days later.
Stratton’s life, as well as the circumstances of his death, was highlighted by The White Line Foundation, which was created after the death of 17-year-old Magnus White in Boulder County. It aims to capture the heartbreak after these types of crashes while also pushing for more safety for cyclists on the road.
Local
Magnus White’s parents on grief, their son’s memory after driver arrested
Weiss’ sentencing hearing took place on Friday. She was sentenced to 365 days in jail for careless driving causing death and 364 days in jail for tampering with physical evidence — the maximum sentence on each charge.
The sentences will be served concurrently, with work release “authorized,” according to the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Her driver’s license was also revoked.
“Our hearts continue to break for the Stratton family. The loss they have suffered is immeasurable,” said District Attorney McLaughlin in a statement. “While no sentence can do justice to the life lost, it is important to continue to hold distracted drivers accountable. We need to change the culture where cellphone causing crashes are seen as ‘just an accident.’ They are lethal and the decision to use a phone while driving is intentional. I urge folks to think about Ollie and put their phones down.”
Denver7’s Sydney Isenberg contributed to this report.
