Shawn Gillum practiced as an attorney in Denver and handled complex cases and proceedings. One high profile case Shawn Gillum handled centered on the fatal collision of a pickup truck with ultracyclist Bob Breedlove in Trinidad, Colorado, during the 2005 running of Race Across America.
Initially characterized as a tragic accident by the police, investigations of the victim’s friends showed otherwise. In particular, the county coroner's description of Breedlove's body conflicted fundamentally with the story given by the driver of the truck. The police narrative was that Breedlove was weaving erratically and lost control of his bike before drifting into the wrong lane and being struck.
As Mr. Gillum, representing the Breedlove family, described it to Outside Magazine, the assigned prosecutor was unhelpful in resolving discrepancies. In addition to refusing to meet with the family, she declined to postpone the arraignment process until more facts could be collected. In addition, the driver got off with a minimal penalty, a suspended driver's license for operating a vehicle without insurance or a valid license. These factors influenced an effort by the Breedlove family to work and get the case reopened.
