PUEBLO, Colo. -- An illegal immigrant pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide after his truck rear-ended a motorcyclist and he drove 14 miles with the motorcycle embedded in its grill.

Abel C. Acosta, 25, of Pueblo, also pleaded guilty Tuesday to leaving the scene of a fatal accident. As part of a plea deal, two other charges -- of vehicular homicide and driving under restraint -- were dropped.

Acosta surrendered to authorities May 27, a day after his truck rear-ended a motorcycle on U.S. 50 near Penrose. Steve Luther, 38, of Penrose was thrown from his motorcycle and died.

Police said Acosta fled the scene of the accident, driving 14 miles with the motorcycle embedded in the truck's grill before he abandoned the truck near Pueblo West and fled on foot (map pictured, left).

SURVEY Should Acosta be deported immediately or serve his time in jail first? I don't think we should pay to house and feed him in a jail. He should be deported right away. I think we need to make sure that he serves his time for this crime. He should serve his sentence first. I don't know Results  |  Disclaimer

Acosta's license was suspended in 1998 for lack of insurance and he had an arrest warrant for failing to appear in court on a traffic charge.

Acosta will be sentenced Jan. 7. He faces up to 12 years in prison on each count. Because Acosta is an illegal immigrant, he will face deportation back to Mexico when his sentence is finished.