Lemaster denies all seven charges in deadly Fort Collins parade crash

Van Edward Lemaster entered a not guilty plea to seven criminal charges on Thursday, nearly two months after his truck struck a crowd in Fort Collins. The hearing marked his first appearance in the case stemming from the Aug. 29 accident that killed Joshua Douglass and injured several others.

Judge Daniel McDonald reviewed the counts with Lemaster, who sat beside his attorney and listened via a headset. The charges include one count of vehicular homicide, four counts of vehicular assault, and two counts of reckless endangerment. The judge explained that the homicide charge carries a prison term of two to six years, or up to 12 years if aggravating circumstances are proven. Lemaster stated he understood the potential sentences.

Police records indicate the crash began on Mountain Avenue in Old Town as the Tour de Fat bicycle parade concluded. Lemaster was attempting to reverse a Chevrolet Silverado from a parking spot when he struck another vehicle. Investigators reported that he then accelerated onto a sidewalk and an outdoor patio where pedestrians were gathered. The impact killed Douglass, who later died from his injuries.

The arrest affidavit notes that Lemaster told an officer at the hospital he had tried to back out multiple times before deciding to "just gunned it" to exit the space. Vehicle data cited by investigators showed the accelerator pedal was fully depressed as the truck moved forward.

The next court date is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Dec. 8.