Lemaster Faces Charges in Parade Crash

Van Edward Lemaster entered a not guilty plea on Thursday to seven counts related to a fatal collision during the Fort Collins Tour de Fat. The hearing took place nearly two months after the accident on August 29, which claimed the life of Joshua Douglass and injured multiple bystanders. Lemaster, 88, attended the brief proceeding alongside his attorney, using a headset to listen to the judge's instructions.

Judge Daniel McDonald read the specific accusations against the defendant. The charges include one count of vehicular homicide, four counts of vehicular assault, and two counts of reckless endangerment. McDonald outlined the sentencing guidelines for each offense. The vehicular homicide count carries a mandatory prison term of two to six years. If the court finds aggravating circumstances, the maximum sentence increases to 12 years. Lemaster acknowledged to the court that he understood these potential penalties.

The incident occurred on Mountain Avenue in Old Town Fort Collins as the bicycle parade neared its end. Police reports indicate Lemaster was reversing a Chevrolet Silverado out of a parking spot when the truck struck another vehicle. He then accelerated forward, driving onto a sidewalk and an outdoor patio where a crowd had gathered. The impact struck several people, and Douglass died from his injuries.

The arrest affidavit includes a statement from Lemaster made to an officer at the hospital. He claimed he had attempted to reverse out of the space several times before deciding to accelerate quickly to leave. Investigators recovered data from the truck showing the accelerator pedal was fully depressed during the forward movement. Lemaster is scheduled to return to court at 10 a.m. on December 8 for the next phase of his case.