YOUR AD HERE »

Aspen man accused of killing pedestrian on Highway 82 makes initial appearance

An Aspen man who police say struck and killed another man late last month in Basalt is facing two felony charges and one traffic misdemeanor in connection with the incident, according to court documents.

Christopher Fish, 49, made his initial appearance in Pitkin County District Court on Monday on charges of felony vehicular homicide, felony leaving the scene of an accident and misdemeanor careless driving.

None of the charges require mandatory prison time.



Pamela Mackey, Fish’s Denver-based attorney, said the District Attorney’s Office has not yet received Fish’s toxicology report from blood tests taken the night of the accident, which should be back in two weeks. Prosecutor Don Nottingham later confirmed that statement.

Mackey defended former NBA star Kobe Bryant on sex-assault charges and former Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy on domestic-violence charges. She also has ties to Aspen, having represented current Sheriff Joe DiSalvo on an assault charge when he struck a man in an Aspen bar while head of investigations for the Sheriff’s Office in 2004, and local developer Nikos Hecht, who was accused of domestic violence in 2015.




Fish was allegedly at the wheel of a Ford F-250 pickup that struck Aspen Village resident Michael Campion, 54, at the intersection of Highway 82 and Basalt Avenue the night of Aug. 24, according to court documents. A witness told The Aspen Times that it looked like Campion jumped out in front of Fish’s truck.

Fish’s truck stopped about a mile up the road, where police contacted him. A portable breath test indicated Fish had no alcohol in his system after he stopped, though he failed roadside sobriety tests, court document state. A Basalt police officer and drug recognition expert also examined Fish and believed he was under the influence of marijuana, the documents state.

jauslander@aspentimes.com