The Colorado Department of Corrections has shut down a bid to move Yeva Smilianska, the driver convicted in the 2023 death of Boulder cyclist Magnus White, into a community corrections program. The move follows months of public pushback from White’s family and road-safety advocates and also coincides with a separate criminal matter that surfaced during the review. For now, Smilianska stays in state custody while prosecutors and corrections officials sort through the legal and administrative fallout from that new case.
DOC denies transfer after review
According to CBS News, the Department of Corrections confirmed that Smilianska's community corrections referral was denied in Boulder County and that a second request in Larimer County was withdrawn. The DOC’s notice to victims said the closure of the referral was tied to a separate criminal matter, not to the wave of community letters that had poured in opposing an early transfer.
Family and community pushed back
White’s parents, Jill and Michael, have been outspoken since the crash and created The White Line to push for tougher road-safety accountability. They, along with dozens of Boulder-area residents, submitted letters arguing against any move to a halfway house. Colorado Public Radio reported that the family said they were shocked and angered to learn a referral was even being considered and urged officials to put victims’ rights first.
Conviction and sentence
A Boulder County jury convicted Smilianska of reckless vehicular homicide in April 2025, and a judge sentenced her to four years in prison that June. Denver7 reported that the collision occurred on July 29, 2023, on Highway 119 between Boulder and Longmont while White was out on a training ride for Team USA.
Family: closure due to new felony charges
The White family later released a statement emphasizing that, in their understanding, "the closure of this referral is not a result of this overwhelming community response" and that new felony charges filed on Jan. 14, 2026, prompted the shutdown of the referral, according to CBS News. The outlet also reported that an affidavit in the new case alleges a former employee accused Smilianska of depositing the same paychecks multiple times.
How community corrections works in Colorado
Colorado’s Community Corrections system offers a phased, closely supervised step from prison into residential programs before parole. The Colorado Department of Corrections notes that non-violent offenders are usually referred about 19 months before their parole-eligibility date and may be placed around 16 months prior. The agency also states that inmates with pending felony charges or extraditable warrants are not eligible for placement until those issues are resolved.
What comes next
If the referral remains closed, Smilianska could seek another referral later. Reporting has noted that a denied applicant can often try again after roughly six months, whereas the parole timeline runs independently. Axios Boulder quoted Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, saying his office will strongly oppose any transfer, calling the process a "sentence reconsideration board" that risks undercutting a judge’s decision.
Where this leaves advocates
The Whites and road-safety advocates say the episode highlights what they see as gaps in how states handle cases involving deadly traffic accidents. They are pushing for clearer sentencing rules and stronger protections for vulnerable road users. As reported by the Denver Gazette, the family has filed complaints and plans to pursue legislative and policy changes aimed at preventing similar early-release attempts in the future.
