Missoula,MT : Man pleads not guilty to Testy Fest shuttle crash that killed two on August, Tuesday 29th 2017

The man accused of grabbing the wheel of a Testicle Festival shuttle in early August, causing the Jeep to crash — killing two passengers and injuring others — pleaded not guilty Tuesday during his arraignment hearing.

James Bayford, who remains in custody on a $200,000 bail, is charged with two counts of negligent homicide and six counts of criminal endangerment from the Aug. 5 crash, which killed 33-year-old Vannessa Anderson (also known by the last name Batt) and 36-year-old Donny Barlow.

After the crash, Bayford allegedly registered 0.209 blood alcohol content on a breath test, and told a Montana Highway Patrol trooper he had been kidnapped. It was later discovered Bayford had been kicked out of the festival and put on the shuttle back to Missoula, according to court documents.

Less than two weeks before the fatal crash, Bayford was given a deferred sentence by District Court Judge Robert “Dusty” Deschamps for a pair of felony charges of assault on a minor. Those stemmed from an arrest in December, when he attacked his young nephews. Last week, he denied allegations he had violated the conditions of that sentence, which included a prohibition against drinking, among others.

Bayford’s next hearing in both cases is Oct. 10.


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Man pleads not guilty to Testy Fest shuttle crash that killed two