Phillip Chavez, the motorist who repeatedly pummeled Glenn Ryburn after Ryburn plowed into the back of Chavez’s car — killing his two stepchildren, pleaded guilty today to reckless manslaughter.

Ryburn, 62, died two months after being severely beaten following the March 8 car accident on northbound Interstate 25 near 104th Avenue.

Adams County District Attorney Don Quick said the sequence of events that night was “horrifying.”

Killed in the wreck were Damien Noyes, 14, and Angela Noyes, 13.

Quick said that after the accident, Chavez went to Ryburn’s Chevy Blazer and “hit Ryburn as many as 50 to 150 times.”

“He (Ryburn) was seat-belted,” said Quick. “It was a repeated beating.”

Bystanders pulled Chavez off Ryburn, only to have Chavez return and continue the beating, said the Adams County district attorney.

When he is sentenced early next year, Chavez could receive up to six years in jail, said Quick. However, if the judge finds aggravating circumstances, Chavez could receive a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.

“We can’t have people taking the law into their own hands,” said Quick.

Chavez originally was charged with second-degree murder.

The Colorado reckless-manslaughter law states a person is guilty of the crime if he or she “recklessly causes the death” of another person.

Chavez was driving the family’s Ford Escort when the accident occurred.

The group was heading back to their home in Loveland after watching the Denver Nuggets defeat the San Antonio Spurs.

Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com