The cycling community in southern Colorado is asking for support to keep a convicted killer locked up. Barbara Thomas, 64, was convicted in June 2009 of killing two cyclists the year before. Thomas was given a three year sentence and she is up for parole in the coming weeks.

The accident happened in a heavily cycled area, at the corner of 26th Street and Westend Ave, near Old Colorado City.

30-year-old Edgar "E.J." Juarez and 28-year-old Jayson Kilroy lost their lives when Thomas hit them with her pick-up truck. "It really is dangerous,” said Mark Lewis, an avid cyclist who is campaigning to keep Thomas in jail. "There's a bit of a war with the traffic a lot of times."

Lewis is now riding with a cause. "I think she absolutely shouldn't have been driving at all," said Lewis.

It was in the summer of 2008 when Thomas struck and killed the two cyclists with her truck. On that August day, friends said, the cycling community in Colorado Springs lost two great people.

Police said Thomas was under the influence of prescription medication while behind the wheel of her truck. She was also not wearing her required eye glasses. Lewis is now pleading to his fellow cyclists, "Tell them, don't let this woman out of jail yet," he said.

Lewis told 11 News Thomas should be in jail longer than her three year sentence. He said, that is much shorter than it will take for Juarez's and Kilroy’s friends to get over the pain of their loss.

At the time of her sentence, Thomas used a wheelchair and an oxygen tank. The judge told her probation was not an appropriate sentence for killing two people.

Her parole hearing is scheduled to come up in the next few weeks. Lewis is asking for supporters to write to the parole board, and ask to keep Thomas locked up.

You can contact the Parole Board at:
Tim Hand, Deputy Director, Regional Operations
940 Broadway
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 763-2420
tim.hand@doc.state.co.us