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Trial date set for Craig power plant worker charged with manslaughter

Craig Daily Press Staff Report

Justin Blodgett, a Craig Station contract worker who was charged with manslaughter after the death of a co-worker in late March, appeared in Moffat County Court Tuesday afternoon for an arraignment hearing.

Blodgett, 26, of Grand Junction, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, and 14th Judicial District Chief Judge Michael O’Hara set a seven-day trial date for Nov. 30.

The wife of the victim, 36-year-old Raymond Terrill from Ozark, Missouri, called into the hearing by phone.

Terrill and Blodgett had been drinking together the night of the incident and got into a fight. Blodgett allegedly punched Terrill, according to the arrest affidavit, and Terrill fell to the ground unconscious in the alleyway behind the Trav-O-Tel Motel in Craig. Emergency responders were unable to revive him.

The 14th Judicial District Attorney offered Blodgett a deal to plead guilty to criminally negligent homicide, a less severe charge than manslaughter with no mandated sentence. Blodgett did not accept the deal, but the DA offered to keep the option on the table until early September.

The DA has until July 18 to file additional charges and a motions hearing was also set for 2:30 p.m. Sept. 30.


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