Woman who tried to blame fatal crash that killed motorcyclist on 'Mexican lady' is jailed for maximum sentence

Published: 23:38, 3 May 2026 | Updated: 23:48, 3 May 2026 A Colorado woman who tried to blame a crash that claimed the life of a motorcycle driver on a 'Mexican lady' has been sentenced to the maximum amount of time behind bars allowed under law. Kalynn Settle, 30, was sentenced on Thursday to serve six years behind bars for a vehicular homicide charge related to a June 14, 2025 crash involving motorcyclist Aaron Barone, 41, and one year for possession of a controlled substance, to be served concurrently, The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reports.  Prosecutors have said Settle was driving an SUV southbound on North Seventh Street in Grand Junction, when she crossed into the northbound lanes and collided with  Barone's motorcycle at the intersection with Bunting Avenue. Witnesses at the scene told officers that she had entered oncoming traffic 'for an unknown reason, before striking Barone, who succumbed to his injuries a few weeks later, officers later wrote in an affidavit, according to KREX. In body camera footage from the crash, Settle could also be seen telling officers she had stopped to help Barone because she was a registered nurse and hit the car in front of her - which she said was being driven by a 'Mexican lady that left,' who she said hit the motorcycle. But a police officer then pointed out that Settle appeared to have 'blood or human flesh' on the front of her vehicle.  Police also noted that her speech seemed to be slurred and she had bloodshot, watery eyes. An ensuing search of her car turned up alcohol, prescription medication and a glass pipe with a bundle of Brillo on one end of the pope that had white and brown burnt residue. Kalynn Settle, 30, was sentenced on Thursday to serve six years behind bars She had alcohol and cocaine in her system when she struck motorcyclist Aaron Barone, 41, at the intersection of North Seventh Street and Bunting Avenue in Grand Junction, Colorado (pictured) on June 14, 2025 Officers then tested the white powder, which came back positive for ketamine, while the white crystal-like substance came back positive for cocaine.  Meanwhile, Settle refused to perform sobriety tests at the scene, and police obtained a signed search warrant to test her blood - which revealed she had alcohol and cocaine in her system, but not ketamine. When an officer then told Settle she was under arrest for DUI, she responded, 'Good luck with that,' according to the affidavit. Settle eventually pleaded guilty to the charges of vehicular homicide while driving while ability impaired and possession of a controlled substance - cocaine.  She tearfully told the court on Thursday she was sorry to the victim's family and thinks about Barone every day. She also said she could not justify the reckless decision she made. 'On that day, I made a choice I can never undo,' Settle said, as her defense attorney, Vince Felletter argued that she has taken responsibility by pleading guilty and has no prior criminal history. Settle, he said, has struggled with alcohol and cocaine use, and she must now forever carry the burden of what happened in her heart.  The attorney also noted that his client was under the influence at the scene, and genuinely believed there was another vehicle involved. Heather Settle, Kalynn's mother, also spoke at the sentencing, the Daily Sentinel reports. 'As her mother, I deeply love her, but my love does not excuse her actions,' she said, before describing how her daughter has struggled with addiction for years, but has taken steps to get better. 'It's unfortunate that this incident is what caused that to be addressed.' But prosecutor Joshua Dougherty argued Settle was making herself out to be the hero and was more concerned about her career than the victim as he asked Judge JenniLynne Lawrence to sentence Settle to five to six years in prison. 'There's no indication that she was showing some sort of remorse based on her actions,' Dougherty said, noting that Settle missed a number of drug tests during the pre-trial process, including in the month before her sentencing, which he said indicated that she was not taking the case as seriously as she should have been. The prosecutor was being supported by Barone's father, Michael, who said the case has devastated his family as he continues to mourn the loss of his son. 'He worked hard his entire life, only to have it cut short by an act of irresponsibility,' Michael testified, saying he would never forget hearing his son's last two heartbeats. After hearing the arguments on both sides, Lawrence said she had been prepared to hand down a community supervision sentence which would have allowed Settle to avoid jail. But when she saw on the pre-sentence report that Settle had missed a number of drug tests, she changed her mind, saying it is the kind of manipulative behavior she often sees in addicts who do not want to face the consequences of a failed test and had serious concerns about community safety. The judge also said she considered Settle's behavior at the scene, declaring: 'These are not the behaviors of a sober person.' In the end, Lawrence said there isn't a sentence she could impose to bring Barone back to life. But, she said, she could impose a sentence that will hold Settle accountable for her actions. 'You still have choices you can make that can improve the outcome for you,' the judge told Settle, noting she could serve less time if she displays good behavior in prison. 'Mr Barone lost his life,' Lawrence concluded. 'That can't be given back.'  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. 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