Driver Convicted in Magnus White Cycling Fatality Case

A Boulder County jury found Yeva Smilianska guilty of reckless vehicular homicide for the July 2023 death of 17-year-old cyclist Magnus White, who was struck while training for the Junior Mountain Bike World Championships. Smilianska, 24, admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel, but her defense argued for a lesser charge of careless driving. The incident occurred on Highway 119, where White was riding on the shoulder when Smilianska's vehicle drifted into his lane and hit him from behind. Following the verdict, White's family expressed their grief and criticized the systemic failures of the agencies that responded to the crash. Smilianska is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, facing a presumptive prison sentence of two to six years, which is probation-eligible. The case has drawn attention to road safety and the need for tougher penalties for reckless driving.