Rolling tribute honors Waterbury man, 32, killed in Montpelier motorcycle crash

June 23, 2020  |  By Lisa Scagliotti

Traffic stops to allow the bikers to exit en masse onto Route 100 as they head to Montpelier. Photo by Gordon Miller.

More than 100 motorcycle riders recently rolled through Waterbury to pay tribute to a local man who lost his life in a motorcycle crash in Montpelier earlier this month. 

On June 13, a band of friends and acquaintances of Jason Lopez Lester Sr. rode into Waterbury for a memorial ride to Montpelier to visit the site of the fatal accident where the 32-year-old father of two perished. 

The ride kicked off in Colchester with bikers making their way down Interstate 89 to Richmond, and then traveling U.S. Route 2 to Waterbury. They met up with members of Lester’s family and took a group photo before setting off for the intersection of Taylor Street and Memorial Drive in the capital city. 

Friends sign homemade crosses in tribute. Courtesy photo.

The spot was the scene of the crash on June 4 between Lester on his motorcycle and a minivan. Despite a state trooper being nearby at the time and responding immediately to render aid, Lester died at the scene of the accident, according to police. 

Montpelier Police said today that the Vermont State Police Crash Reconstruction Team is assisting with the ongoing investigation. Police said speed appeared to be a factor in the crash. No charges have been filed in the case. The driver of the minivan was identified as Brian J. Whalley, age 21, of Ellsworth, Maine.

According to his obituary, Lester  was born Aug. 9, 1987 on a U.S. military base in the Philippines. His family eventually settled in Winooski where he grew up with three younger sisters all raised by their mother. A funeral service was held for Lester June 11 in Winooski. 

Lester lived in Waterbury with his wife, April, and their two young children, Jason Jr., 6, and Kinsley, 3. For seven years he worked as a dedicated cook for Buddy’s Famous Burgers first in Waterbury and recently in Montpelier. He was on his way home from work at the time of the crash. 

His obit notes his love for softball, hunting, and motorcycling. “He often said ‘riding isn't a choice, it's a lifestyle’ and lived by the saying ‘look twice, save a life,’” the account says. 

Crosses mark the Montpelier crash site in tribute to Lester. Courtesy photo.

His wit and friendly nature won him friends in the motorcycle community including Nick Lapierre whose own father died in a motorcycle accident. He also noted that he and Lester’s son share a birthday which adds to the bond. “To celebrate his life and show his family support I set up a memorial ride for him,” Lapierre wrote in a message to Waterbury Roundabout. He estimated that about 200 people took part in the ride that included about 100 bikes and about two dozen cars. “Some knew him and some didn’t, but we were all there to show support,” Lapierre said.

Once in Montpelier, the group gathered at the site of the crash to sign and plant a homemade cross as a memorial and to share stories and memories. Lapierre said the group collected $500 to give to Lester’s family. 

More than 100 in the group accepted a lunch invitation from Buddy’s with the restaurant donating the tab from the large party to Lester’s family as well, Lapierre said. 

April Lester’s sister Kirstin Grout said the outpouring from so many for her brother-in-law and his family was moving. “The ride through the town of Waterbury and on the old road to Montpelier was the most precious thing to be a part of along with watching the line of bikers and cars pull into the Shaw’s in Waterbury to meet the family. [It] was just a moment that is hard to explain -- but just more than beautiful,” she said.

Jason Lester Sr. with his children. GoFundMe screenshot.

Grout said Lester was a wonderful man and special to many in all of his roles in life -- husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend. “He may not have coached his son's soccer or t-ball teams but he was always there when called in to help. Whether that was standing at third base or keeping an eye on the soccer ball and helping all the teammates have a turn kicking.” 

Members of April Lester’s family have organized online fundraisers using GoFundMe where they have already raised more than $14,000 to help with funeral costs and family expenses.

Friends and family of Jason Lester Sr. gathered in Shaw's parking lot in Waterbury during their memorial ride on June 13. Courtesy photo.