88-Year-Old Driver Faces Charges in Fatal Fort Collins Parade Crash

The legal process has finally begun for the driver accused of plowing into a crowd during a popular local parade. Nearly two months after the tragedy, an 88-year-old man stood before a judge to face the consequences of an event that shocked the community of Fort Collins. The crash left one person dead and several others with injuries, marking a dark end to a festive afternoon.

Van Edward Lemaster made his initial court appearance on Thursday. He sat beside his attorney, using a headset to hear the proceedings clearly. The judge, Daniel McDonald, outlined the seven specific charges against him. These include one count of vehicular homicide, four counts of vehicular assault, and two counts of reckless endangerment. Lemaster indicated to the court that he understood the severity of the situation.

The judge also explained the potential outcomes for each charge. Vehicular homicide carries a prison sentence ranging from two to six years. However, if the court finds aggravating circumstances, that sentence could extend up to twelve years. This detail was part of the formal reading of the charges to the defendant.

The incident happened on August 29 on Mountain Avenue in Old Town Fort Collins. The Tour de Fat bicycle parade was wrapping up when the truck entered the mix. According to the arrest affidavit, Lemaster was trying to reverse his Chevrolet Silverado out of a parking spot. He struck another vehicle during the maneuver, which apparently prompted his next move.

Investigators state that after hitting the other car, the driver accelerated. The truck moved onto a sidewalk and an outdoor patio where pedestrians were gathered. The vehicle struck several people during this sequence of events. Joshua Douglass was among those hit and later died from his injuries.

Details from the police report offer insight into the driver's actions in the moments before the crash. Lemaster reportedly told a hospital officer that he had tried to back out of the space multiple times without success. He claimed that he eventually decided to "just gun it" to get clear of the spot. This statement aligns with technical data recovered from the vehicle.

That data showed the accelerator pedal was fully depressed while the truck was moving forward. This technical evidence supports the claim that the driver applied maximum power during the incident. The combination of the driver's statement and the vehicle's data forms a key part of the prosecution's narrative.

The case is not yet resolved. Lemaster is scheduled to return to court on December 8 at 10 a.m. This next hearing will likely involve further procedural steps as the legal process moves forward. For now, the community awaits the next developments in a case that has touched many lives in the area.