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20-year-old had twice the legal limit of alcohol in system at time of crash

Otis family marred with past arrests, warrants

Patrick Kelly

Logan Otis, 20, the driver in a fatal car accident Sunday that killed his father, had a breath alcohol content of .164 — twice the legal limit — at the time of crash, according to the arrest affidavit.

Otis is currently being held at Moffat County Jail. The passenger in the vehicle — Otis’ father, Dennis Wayne Otis, 52 — was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

On Monday, Logan Otis made his first court appearance by video from jail before 14th Judicial District Chief Judge Michael O’Hara.



O’Hara set bond at $20,000 cash or surety and scheduled Otis’ next appearance at 8:30 a.m. May 12.

Mark Hamshire, an attorney from the Steamboat Springs Public Defender’s Office, is representing Otis, who is charged with driving under the influence, vehicular homicide, driving under restraint, careless driving and illegal possession of alcohol.



According to a sworn affidavit from Colorado State Patrol Trooper Eric DiBenedetto, “Otis stated that he had consumed half a bottle of whiskey that day, prior to my contact. Otis also admitted to being intoxicated. Otis also stated that his license was revoked for previous alcohol offenses.”

Blood draws were performed on Otis and his father, and law enforcement officials are awaiting test results. Moffat County Coroner Kirk McKey told the Daily Press that Dennis Otis’ toxicology report would be available in three to four weeks and that it will outline how much alcohol he had in his blood at the time of his death.

Colorado law provides greater penalties for drunken drivers who meet certain standards.

Colorado Revised Statue 42-1-102 states that anyone who has BAC greater than .15 will be labeled a “persistent drunk driver.”

Dennis Otis was in and out of Moffat County Jail several times throughout the years, Moffat County Sheriff KC Hume said in an email.

Last May, Dennis Otis was booked into Moffat County Jail on a warrant for failing to comply on a DUI, according to a jail report published in the Daily Press.

In February 2012, he was booked into Moffat County Jail on a warrant.

Logan Otis’s elder brother, Stephen Otis, 22, is currently being held in Moffat County Jail.

“He’s a parole client and somehow violated the terms and conditions on parole,” Hume said of Stephen Otis.

Stephen Otis also has a history with the law. In February 2012, he was in the Daily Press’s On the Record on suspicion of second degree burglary, theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Hume said that the Otis brothers had an opportunity to see each other Monday.

“They are not housed together, but we did facilitate an opportunity for them to be together,” Hume said.

Contact Patrick Kelly at 970-875-1795 or pkelly@craigdailypress.com. Follow him on Twitter @M_PKelly.


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