Cliggett hearing vacated

Next hearing set for June 5

By Katherine Nettles

Crested Butte resident Chuck Cliggett was scheduled for a hearing in Gunnison District Court on March 24, but it was vacated the afternoon prior due to his withdrawal of a request for a motion related to a protection order. Cliggett has been charged with vehicular homicide–reckless driving and passing a bicycle on the left improperly, based on the events of November 2022, when he struck bicyclist Mitch Hoffman while driving on Highway 135 near Crested Butte. Hoffman, 71 years old, died from his injuries. 

Cliggett was advised of his charges in January, which included a mandatory restraining order that the defendant “shall not possess or consume alcoholic beverages or controlled substances,” according to the court documents.  Cliggett’s defense team later questioned the relevance of this “no alcohol” condition at his March 17 appearance, and as “the underlying facts of this matter do not include any indicia of the use of alcohol or controlled substances, the undersigned requested that the ‘no alcohol’ condition be removed as unnecessary.”

After learning that the Hoffman family, whose input was required under the Victims’ Rights Amendment, was opposed to the requested modification, Cliggett withdrew his request. According to the motion, this was “in deference to Mr. Hoffman’s family’s opposition to the requested modification.”

The next hearing is currently set for June 5 at 8:30 a.m. for arraignment in Gunnison District Court. Cliggett has not yet entered a plea on the charges.