NEWS

Affidavit: Fort Collins man admitted to drinking before crash that killed his fiance

Jason Pohl

A Fort Collins man admitted to drinking alcohol before getting behind the wheel of and flipping a pickup truck, killing his fiance, north of the city earlier this month, according to police records.

Christopher Graham, 26, was driving a 1984 GMC pickup northbound on Larimer County Road 73C about 8:15 p.m. March 14 when he reportedly failed to navigate a curve in the road, authorities said previously. The truck veered off the road and crashed into rocks before rolling onto its roof.

Graham’s fiance, 25-year-old Jane Chrismer, died at the scene of the crash near the Crystal Lakes subdivision. Graham was treated at the scene and flown by helicopter to Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland for further treatment of his injuries.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash. Graham told police he was wearing his seat belt, but Chrismer was not.

A Colorado State Patrol trooper responded to the hospital to speak with Graham, according to his arrest affidavit. Graham, whose speech was slurred, told the officer he did not have a driver’s license, the truck was not registered and that he had consumed two beers and a shot in the hours before the crash. He refused to do any voluntary sobriety testing and said he would fail.

Medical staff performed a blood draw, and that’s when he said, “Now everybody knows I drink between 12 and 16 beers a day,” the report states.

Graham was transported from the hospital to the Larimer County Jail. He has been formally charged with class 3 felony vehicular homicide, misdemeanor DUI and counts of driving without insurance, careless driving, driving without a driver’s license and operating an unregistered vehicle.

He has since posted $5,000 bond. His next court date is scheduled for March 31.