Justin Kula convicted of vehicular homicide, manslaughter in Colorado parole officer's death

A former Colorado sheriff's deputy, Andrew Buen, was convicted of criminally negligent homicide for the shooting death of Christian Glass, a 22-year-old who called 911 for help during a mental health crisis in June 2022. This case, which drew national attention and resulted in a $19 million settlement with Glass's family, highlighted issues in police training for handling mental health crises. In a separate case, Justin Kula was found guilty of multiple charges, including vehicular homicide, for killing parole officer Christine Guerin Sandoval while attempting to flee from law enforcement in September 2023. Kula's defense argued he believed he was being robbed when approached by officers, but the jury concluded he acted recklessly. Both cases underscore ongoing concerns regarding police conduct and accountability in Colorado. Following these incidents, there are calls for reform in law enforcement practices to better address mental health crises and officer identification protocols.