Jesse Lloyd, accused of driving drunk and allegedly causing a fatal rollover crash in early May that claimed the life of a Basalt High School student, appeared in court Thursday where his case was continued to September.
The case was delayed to give Colorado State Patrol, the lead investigating agency, more time to file reports on the crash. Lloyd, 18, is out on bond and, with the support of family, is complying with all pretrial stipulations, his attorney, Lawson Wills, said.
“As long as he continues to do that, I’m satisfied,” Judge John Neiley said.
Prosecutor Denton Walker said he suspects the State Patrol is still working on the reports.
“I presume they’re trying to get it right the first time,” Walker said. The alleged victims and their families do not object to the long continuance, Walker said.
The State Patrol has filed one report, an affidavit for Lloyd’s arrest on vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, and alcohol-related charges.
During the May 3 crash along County Road 102, also known as Fender Lane, two of the five people in the car were ejected from the vehicle.
Lloyd told one State Patrol officer that he was the driver, and that he had taken five or six shots of vodka about two hours before the crash, according to an affidavit.
One of the passengers of the vehicle, Tyler Ribich, 16, a junior at Basalt High School, died as a result of the injuries from being ejected.
Joel Rothman, 19, “suffered serious bodily injury” after being ejected from the vehicle, according to court documents.
Henry Twitchell, 18, who was not ejected from the vehicle, also suffered serious injury. The fourth occupant, who is 17, reported the crash and did not suffer serious injury, according to the State Patrol report.
