An Aztec resident arrested on suspicion of hitting and seriously injuring a bicyclist south of Durango with his pickup truck and trailer will be tried in court on a felony charge of vehicular assault while driving under the influence, according to a complaint filed by the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office on Thursday.
Other charges Thomas Huntsman was arrested on, including misdemeanor driving under the influence, an open container and failure to present insurance in addition to felony vehicular assault while driving under the influence, were not listed in the complaint filed by the District Attorney’s Office.
Huntsman appeared in person with an attorney in court, and the matter is set for a disposition hearing at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 25 in La Plata County’s division three courtroom.
He was arrested on the evening of July 21, after allegedly drifting into a turn lane, hitting Durango Devo coach and Mountain Bike Specialists owner Elliott Saslow, running over a stop sign and striking a deer fence near County Road 302 and U.S Highway 550.
Huntsman was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, allegedly admitted to drinking three beers and had an open bottle of Southern Comfort in the truck, according to the affidavit.
He did not consent to a field sobriety test at the scene of the crash and a search warrant was granted for a blood alcohol test, according to the affidavit.
Salsow was seriously injured as a result of this crash, and Huntsman’s alleged conduct was listed as the proximate cause for that bodily injury in the complaint. Huntsman was released from the La Plata County Jail after his arrest and has attended all court hearings.
Bystanders at the scene of the crash told authorities the passenger-side mirror hit multiple riders, but only one bicyclist went down and under the pickup truck and trailer.
The affidavit and witnesses said that Huntsman was allegedly agitated and aggressive toward Saslow and other cyclists at the crash scene.
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