Pueblo man who killed motorcyclist while driving drunk in 2021 sentenced to prison

A Pueblo man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for a DUI wreck in 2021 that killed one person and injured another.

In February, a Pueblo County jury found Shawn James Kiefer, 36, guilty of vehicular homicide – DUI, and vehicular assault – DUI, after causing the death of 48-year-old Darrell Pagels and seriously injuring a passenger on Pagels' motorcycle during the 2021 wreck.

Judge Allison P. Ernst sentenced Kiefer to nine years for the charge of vehicular homicide, and five years for vehicular assault, to be served concurrently. Kiefer was given credit for two days of time served on each count.

Along with the sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections, Kiefer will be required to complete three years of probation upon his release.

Sentencing was originally scheduled to take place in May but was continued several times to complete necessary screenings before sentencing.

The charges against Kiefer stem from an incident on May 21, 2021.

Pueblo police were called to the intersection of Pueblo Boulevard and Lake Avenue at approximately 2:20 a.m. that morning on a report of a crash with injuries.

At the scene, officers found a motorcycle and both of its riders lying on Pueblo Boulevard. Both riders suffered serious injuries and were transported to a local hospital where Pagels later was pronounced dead.

While responding to the scene, officers also located a white SUV that had pulled into a nearby convenience store parking lot, which police said in a news release had “severe damage from colliding with the motorcycle.”

The police investigation found both the motorcycle and SUV were traveling eastbound on Pueblo Boulevard and approaching Lake Avenue when the motorcycle slowed as it prepared to turn northbound on Lake Avenue.

The motorcycle was subsequently struck from behind by the SUV, driven by Kiefer.

Kiefer will be eligible for parole in February 2028, according to the state DOC.

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