Aspen Village man killed in alleged hit-and-run on Highway 82 in Basalt

An Aspen Village resident attempting to cross Highway 82 late Friday night was killed by a motorist who was allegedly under the influence and fled the scene, authorities said.

The 54-year-old male victim’s identity was not being released pending the notification of his relatives, said trooper Gary Cutler, a spokesman for the Colorado State Patrol, the lead agency in the incident.

Cutler said authorities were notified at 9:04 p.m. about the crash and attempted CPR on the victim, who was struck at the intersection of Highway 82 and Basalt Avenue. The victim died on the scene, he said.

The suspect, Christopher Fish, 49, of Aspen, was arrested near milepost 24, about 1 mile east or upvalley of the crash, Cutler said.

“It was a hit-and-run, and they were able to find the driver,” he said.

Cutler said he did not know if Fish was injured. He was driving a Ford pick-up truck at the time, Cutler said.

Fish was booked into the Pitkin County Jail and was released at approximately 10 a.m. after posting $10,000 bond, according to Deputy Jesse Steindler.

Fish was booked on pending felony charges of vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a death, Steindler said. He also faces lesser charges of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, having an open container of alcohol, having an open marijuana container, and failure to report an accident, the deputy said.

The Sheriff’s Office and fire and police personnel from Basalt aided on the scene, Deputy Levi Borst said.

Both sides of Highway 82 were closed until about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Story first reported by the The Denver Post.