Michael Porter Jr.'s Brother Coban Given 6-Year Prison Sentence for Role in DUI Crash

Coban Porter, former University of Denver basketball player and brother of Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., was sentenced Friday to six years in prison for his role in a fatal DUI car crash in 2023, according to Janet Oravetz of 9News.

Michael Porter Jr. testified on Porter's behalf during the sentencing, which regarded a car crash that killed 42-year-old Katharina Rothman and seriously injured her passenger Jason Blanch in January 2023, according to Shelly Bradbury of the Denver Post.

Porter pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide (DUI) and vehicular assault (DUI) as part of a plea agreement, according to Oravetz.

Charges of vehicular homicide (reckless driving) and vehicular assault (reckless driving) were dismissed. Porter faced a maximum of eight years in prison with the plea agreement, and would have faced up to 24 years without it, Oravetz reported.

Porter will face serve three years of parole after his release, per Oravetz.

According to a statement of probable cause from the Denver police, Porter was driving an estimated 50 miles per hour and ran a red light at the time of the 2023 crash.

Police said Porter was slurring his words and smelled of alcohol on the scene, according to the statement. His blood-alcohol level allegedly tested at twice the legal limit.

Two additional lawsuits regarding the crash were filed in January by the victims and their families alleging a bar over-served Porter prior to the crash, according to KDVR's Samatha Jarpe. The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial.

Jontay Porter, brother of Coban and Michael and former player for the Toronto Raptors, received a lifetime ban from the NBA earlier this week for violating league betting policies.