|Big Radio News|
The 34-year-old Beloit man accused of barreling through barricades into a crowd of people celebrating Oktoberfest last September will spend five years behind bars.
According to online court records, Gaudencio Cruz-Gutierrez pleaded guilty Wednesday afternoon to second-degree recklessly endangering safety. Two additional counts of bail jumping were dismissed but read into the record.
In addition the prison time, Rock County Judge Jeffrey Kuglitsch ordered Cruz-Gutierrez to serve five years of extended supervision when he gets out.
Police say several people had to dive out of the way when Cruz-Gutierrez crashed through a barrier and into a crowd. Nobody was hurt.
Curtis Metz, 42, of Orangeville, Illinois was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of driving into the Grand Lighted Parade in Beloit in 2019.
Anthony Benson, 38, of South Beloit was sentenced to a year of probation after pleading no contest to negligent operation of a motor vehicle. Police say he drove through barricades and into a crowd at Eclipse Center Street and Eclipse Boulevard during Fourth of July festivities. One person was injured during that incident.
