Local man charged in bicycle fatality

Court hearing set for January 24

[  By Mark Reaman  ]

A Crested Butte man is scheduled to go to court later this month in connection with an incident that occurred last November and resulted in the tragic death of a local bicycle rider. 

According to chief deputy district attorney Jessica Waggoner of the Seventh Judicial District, Chuck Cliggett has been charged with Careless Driving Resulting in Death and Passing a Bicycle on the Left Improperly. 

Waggoner said the DA’s office has not yet received the final investigation report from the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), but it is expected this week.

In the original CSP incident report, it was reported that 71-year-old Mitch Hoffman of Crested Butte was riding a road bike on Highway 135 near mile marker 21 about 12:30 p.m. when he was struck by a 2019 Honda SUV heading south and being driven by the 73-year-old Cliggett. The report indicated Hoffman was riding on the shoulder of the road when the SUV travelled into the shoulder lane and struck the bike, throwing Hoffman. 

Cliggett’s first court date is set for January 24 at 1:30 p.m.