Homicide charge against snowboarder who collided with skier

A snowHead

A snowboarder has been charged with negligent homicide for killing a skier at Jackson Hole (Wyoming, USA) last February. Witnesses allege that Greg Doda, 16 at the time, was heading down the mountain at 35mph to 60mph when he hit Heather Donahue, 29.

Donahue is said to have been thrown 25 ft by the force of the crash, losing her gloves, skis, poles, hat, goggles and neck warmer. She later died of head injuries.

Greg Doda's snowboard was broken in two.

This report from Jackson Hole News and Guide.
If that link does not work, there is a summary on Casper Star Tribune.

A snowHead

So she wasnt wearing a helmet.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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I don't think anyone is responsible for wearing a helmet to shield against someone else's actions.

If and when Greg Doda is put on trial, the issue of whether Heather Donahue was or wasn't wearing a helmet isn't likely to trouble the jury.

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they may want to make an example of this kid.. just to ram it home to the loons on the slopes that you are very much responsible for your actions..

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nbt, you may be right, helmets are certainly not a panacea, but in an accident like that, one could hit one's head on a rock, and a helmet might make a crucial difference (or it moght not). Not that the question is relevant to the unfortunate snowboarder's guilt or innocence.

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Since she apparently died of head injuries, presumably a helmet might have helped.

After all it is free

The problem is that if they start going down the road of manslaughter charges for starting avalanches, collisions etc, some of those responsible are going to disappear, perhaps not even call the emergency services...

easiski, better than nothing, though they would probably make little difference in the case of accidents such as Régine Cavagnoud's Sad

Wish I could find that article. I mediated an argument between my son (snowboarder) and wife (skiier) about yielding to the downhill skiier/boarder. Thankfully I had a trail map of a local ski area that posted that rule (#2) and cleared up a short disagreement. I think this is a fair trial that should take into account all aspects of right-of-way. I'm a jet skiier and know how it feels to be frowned upon by boaters, but the rules are the same for all vessels in yielding right-of-way. Staying in control seems to be issue for that boarder as he clearly didn't yield to the traffic below nor was able to control his boarding. I'm still curious how fighting during hockey games (as expected and very much a part of the game - premeditated perhaps) isn't assault.

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rx4pain, welcome to snowHeads!

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Thanks Ian...glad to have found this invaluable site! I've already found more info about my local ski areas than I could have researched in a few days. Helpful links and great advice!

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Greg Doda, 18, will plead guilty to criminally negligent homicide instead of proceeding with a trial set to begin next month, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Doda allegedly rode his snowboard in a manner that was a “gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise,” according to the charge and “failed to perceive the substantial and unjustifiable risk that his determination to ride his snowboard straight down Laramie Bowl could and in fact did result in a deadly collision,” the charge states.

http://www.jhguide.com/article.php?art_id=639

admin, Not much for killing someone Sad

You know it makes sense.

Killing someone accidentally though. I'm not sure that it would have even occurred to him that this may have happened, which doesn't excuse his behaviour, but it should come into play when deciding a just punishment. I think that if someone makes a mistake, there should be some measurement of leniency.

If he's a good kid otherwise, then firstly I imagine the guilt that he'll be carrying for the rest of his life will be punishment enough, and I don't think that ruining his life with a jail sentence would necessarily be productive.

Most of us did stupid and impetous things when we were younger, however most of us were lucky and got away with it without causing serious injury or harm.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Kramer, But this dangerous skiing and riding is becoming more and more common, and to a large extent, examples have to be made to make these people think a bit more and behave a bit more responsibly. If it was your daughter/girlfriend/wife/mother who was killed by this idiot would you be happy with 1 year in jail and $2000? I think that if you kill someone through your own negligence and carelessness it shows a callous disregard for others' safety and the value of others' lives. therefore, regardless of what a "good kid" (and they always say that, even if they've shot 15 of their schoolmates) the person was before, they merit a harsher sentence than this. Maybe, however, the punishment should fit the crime? Perhaps Doda should pay a contribution from all his wages to the family of the girl he killed - say for 15 years??? Or he might have to become a ski patroller, or a mountain rescuer .... Lots of ideas spring to mind!!

A snowHead

Unfortunately "the make an example of them" approach I would think has limited relevance to those members of the skiing public most likely to be a danger to others. Snowheads might follow this but say a gang of low intermediate lads with a few beers for lunch who decide to have a schussing contest on a busy piste aren't likely to be following this case. This isn't hugely different from the hundreds of teenagers, passengers and other road users killed on British roads every year as a result of lack of experience and youthful bravado.

A snowHead

easiski, I do take both your points, I like to think that if one of my nearest or dearest was killed by someone in an accident, I would have the courage to forgive them.

I think that the thought of being caught and having your lift pass taken away is more likely to discourage dangerous skiers, rather than the very slim chance that you may be involved in an incident like this and end up in jail.

Totally see where you're coming from though, IMO Les Deux Alpes has a big problem with dangerous skiers compared to some other resorts. Not sure why.

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Bit of a long flight though. wink

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laundryman, Laughing

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laundryman, nice work Cool

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I can see the headline now: Mars Bars Dangerous Skiers

After all it is free

Did Marianne Faithful ski?

Nick Zotov, Now that is an urban myth! Smile

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Kramer, I think it's because we have relatively steep pistes, close to 3 major cities (Marseille, Lyon and Grenoble) and have a bit of a rep as a good party town. combi of these. However I absoutely agree that the taking away of liftpasses is the ideal thing - unfortunately, as you know, it's illegal in France to do so. Crying or Very sad

One would hope to have the courage to forgive - but I don't have that much faith on the whole in human-kind! It would depend on whether the person was really sorry, and I tend to feel that if they're that careless to start with, then they're unlikely to have much of a conscience.

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Having been a teenaged boy myself once, I would say that they can be incredibly stupid, but I think that most do have a conscience.

I did not know that it was illegal to confiscate lift passes in France. Why is that?

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I shan't let it put me off Les Deux Alpes though. One of the best weeks skiing I've had in my life.

Kramer, I hear that it's two-fold: 1) If you sell someone something you don't then have the right to withdraw the sale afterwards; and 2) The lift pass gives you the right to go up the lifts - no-one sells you the right to ski down the mountain (and in Europe there are too many owners on any mountain for it to be practical, hence you can do as you please on the way down because there are no restrictions.

The answer would be to rent the right to ski on the mountain and use the uplift for the period of time, but immagine M. Bleu who owns a parcel of land but has invested nothing demanding payment from the lift company because of the "rent" of his land! The situation would quickly become farcical - and I do believe some of the old farmers would deffo give it a try!! Laughing

We need either a change in the law allowing lift pass removal from dangerous skiers, or more draconian punishments for "assaults" with or without a deadly weapon (skis or snowboards could easily qualify)!!

Of course, never having been a teenage boy myself ............. rolling eyes

You know it makes sense.

Anyone walking up the mountains in Summer will see areas of land 'fenced' off with old ski poles and plastic tape.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Helen Beaumont, Yeah - wish they'd clear the cowsh*t off the walking paths though!!!! Shocked

A snowHead

A snowHead

easiski, your answer about ownership and so on makes perfect sense. In USA, the resort company typically owns the land on which the lifts and skiing are sited, and they make their own rules and regs. They all seem to threaten confiscation of lift passes. Presumably they could rent the land rather than own it.

If someone used my land to make money I'd want to benefit from it myself (unlikely; a 60' garden in SW London has limited potential), so I wouldn't blame the French landowners for expecting something. Presumably in UK one can only use someone's land for skiing wit their permission, which might have to be bought.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

easiski, 1) isn't the lift pass just a licence to use something? e.g the T&C's 'attached' to a bus ticket give the bus company the right to boot you off if you're playing up/smoking/eating a stinky burger etc. The same would apply to a lift pass. I'm pretty sure my Oyster card remains the property of London Underground even though I had to pay a 'deposit' for it.

2) I thought that at the moment the lift companies in France did have to get permission from anyone who owned land that was skied on (as well as where the pylons were) and that this was changing to just anyone who owned the land that the pylons etc. were on.

Something needs to be done but, in reality, if someone had their pass taken off them they'd just go and buy a 1 day ticket that didn't require any ID and would be back on the mountain within 10 mins.

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According to today's 'Metro', for what that is worth, killers can now get out of jail in under a year.

Of course, if you are a previously upstanding member of society, you may get longer.

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richmond, the farmers get rent from the lift company for putting pistes and pylons up on their land, but if the lift company actually sold the right to ski on M. Bleu's field then that would be different. AFAIK in most of the USA resorts the land is owned by the government in some form or other and leased by the resort company, or whatever you want to call them.

ben wright, A lift pass is just that - a pass to use the lifts, nothing about the mountainside. that's where the problem lies in France. Val Despair did try it a few years ago, but one guy who lost his liftpass for dangerous skiing sued and won - end of story now until a change in the law. They may buy a day ticket, but after they've lost a week's ticket they may not have enough money, and by the next day their pic would be at every caisse so they would be stopped. Very Happy

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Homicide charge against snowboarder who collided with skier

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