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PLATTEVILLE, Colo. (AP) — A 20-year-old woman who set off a chain reaction crash that left two men dead near Platteville has been sentenced to 6 months work release.

A judge Tuesday ordered Nellie Townsend of Westminster to report for work release May 10. A jury convicted Townsend of two counts of careless driving in the April 2009 deaths of 53-year-old Bruce Patterson of Longmont and 53-year-old James Matthews of Buena Vista.

Townsend reared-ended Patterson's car, pushing him into the path of a car driven by Matthews.

Townsend had been listening to a book on tape when authorities say she failed to react to Patterson slowing down for traffic.

Patterson was musician and instructor at the University of Northern Colorado. Matthews was a homebuilder.

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