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#JusticeForMagnus #WhiteLineFoundation #ParoleDenied #CyclingSafety #NoMoreVulnerableRoadUsers #YevaSmilianska #MagnusWhite #RoadJustice #EndImpairedDriving #SupportVictims
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Yeva Smilianska, the driver convicted of reckless vehicular homicide for striking and killing 17‑year‑old cyclist Magnus White outside Boulder, Colorado in July 2023, was denied parole at her first eligibility hearing after serving just over one year of a four‑year sentence imposed in June 2025. The parole board rejected her request, and she will be eligible to apply again in one year.
During the hearing, Smilianska described the night of the crash as a result of feeling “tired after hanging out with friends” and called her decision to drive “horribly irresponsible.” She claimed she had only consumed a small amount of alcohol and did not acknowledge trial evidence indicating she had been drinking before getting behind the wheel. When asked about the impact on the victim’s family, she spoke primarily about her own struggles, never mentioning Magnus’s name, and said she could not imagine how the family copes, adding that she would do anything to help the damage she caused.
Magnus White’s father, Michael White, shared details of the hearing on Instagram, noting that the family listened from their living room while waiting for the parole board’s call. He observed that Smilianska’s remarks showed she still does not accept full responsibility for Magnus’s death, attributing the crash to lack of extra sleep rather than her own actions. Michael thanked the more than 500 people who submitted victim impact statements—a record number for the Colorado Department of Corrections—and said the family could now “breathe again” after the hearing.
The White family has since founded the White Line Foundation, aiming to prevent deaths of vulnerable road users. They invite supporters to learn more and donate at whiteline.org. Smilianska remains incarcerated, with her next parole opportunity scheduled for approximately one year from the denied hearing.
