Snowboarder charged with manslaughter

A snowHead

A snowboarder has been charged with manslaughter at Jackson Hole following a collision with a skier on the slopes The teenage boarder hit the stationary woman skier at high speed, the force of the impact breaking the board in two...
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I dont think that there are any judgements to be made about snowboarders vs skiers. It happened that way, but it could have happened the other way around.

Interesting that the article mentions about whether or not the individuals were wearing helmets, allthough I dont think it would have made a difference at that speed.

Very sad.
Dave

Edited to remove expired link

A snowHead

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

Very sad indeed.Not the sort of thing any of us wants to read.What he was riding is immaterial.She is dead,his life is ruined and,once again,our sport is tainted by the reckless.I believe I will live to see the day when strict controls are applied on the piste,and a measure of our beloved mountain freedom is taken away.Once again the majority will suffer from the actions of the minority.

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To me it was horrifying to learn the boarder broke his snowboard into two and so the speed must be extremely high as suggested. (edited)

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snowskisnow,

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saikee, that is really not a very nice thing to say

After all it is free

Dave J,I agree.To some extent it may lead to even more reckless behaviour i.e.going off piste to avoid any patrols etc.But will such thoughts enter the minds of the authority's seeking to protect the image of their resort,and,ostensibly,the safety of their visitors?

As for the post previous to yours;the word 'edit' springs to mind!!

D G Orf,

Apology. I was stunned by the speed that caused the accident. I have amended the post now.

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saikee, I'll let you off this time Little Angel

But in its edited form you are quite right, I know someone who can board at that sort of speed or even faster but, and this is the important bit, he's always in control and he only goes at those speeds on empty pistes, from the report this does not appear to be the case in this instance, if the witness reports are correct he made no attempt to avoid the girl even though she was apparently clearly visable, I appreciate that the person concerned is only 16 but I have to ask how he would be treated if he'd killed someone with a car and wether or not he should be treated any differently because it occured on the side of a mountain rather than a road Puzzled

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Dave J, the original link has expired and I can't find the article in archives or news or features. Any chance of another link for later readers ??

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Here's a link to another article as the first one has expired. And in case that one goes as well, here's the cut and pasted story!

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — A teenager accused of fatally injuring a skier with his snowboard on a slope has been charged with manslaughter.

Witnesses said Heather Donahue, 28, of Shrewsbury, Mass., was skiing slowly on an intermediate slope at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort last week when she allegedly was hit by the teen on a fast-moving snowboard.

Donahue died Friday at a hospital, apparently from head injuries.

Authorities did not identify the 16-year-old snowboarder, who also was charged Friday with reckless endangering. Teton County Sheriff's Sgt. Lloyd Funk said the county attorney would decide whether the teen should be tried as a juvenile or an adult. The manslaughter charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The snowboarder suffered only minor injuries. He was released to an adult family friend and has returned home to Maryland, authorities said.

This from Jackson Hole Radio (cribbed of Telemark tips.com)
"A 28 year old Massachusetts woman died Friday after suffering severe injuries when a snow-boarder collided with her while she was skiing at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The accident occurred Thursday morning. Eyewitnesses say Heather Donahue was skiing near the lower portion of Laramie Bowl when a 16 year-old snowboarder came from above her on the mountain and collided with her, causing both of them about 30 feet down the mountain. The snowboard was broken in two by the impact of the crash. Donahue immediately lost consciousness. Ski patrol members brought her down the mountain to the medical clinic, and she was taken to St. John's Medical Center by ambulance. From there she was life-flighted to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, where she died the next day. The Snowboarder, who is from Maryland, received minor injuries in the crash. His name was not released because he is a minor. Sheriff's deputies placed him under arrest and charged him with manslaughter as soon as they learned Donahue had died from her injuries. He was later released to an adult friend of his family, and returned to Maryland on Saturday. "

Dave J, thanks a lot. Very sad. Crying or Very sad

You know it makes sense.

I see incidents (near misses) everyday on the pistes all of which could result in tragedy like this. What to do? In GB we have a road-death rate of less than half of that in France or Italy. Why? I believe that some of it is down to road rage. We know driving inconsideratly can upset some people enough to react in a violet way. So we drive with care in our cars, in general, not to antagonise. In France or Italy this is not the case. I have never seen anyone get angry with other road users and I have seen the most appalling, dangerous manouvers imaginable! Hence, our system is self policed. So I suggest that in dealing with a near miss situation on the pistes being aggressive towards the culprit may, in future, result in less accidents.

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

Cut and paste of the original story:

A 29-year-old veterinarian from Shrewsbury died last week after a snowboarder slammed into her as she waited for her husband at an agreed-upon meeting spot on the slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming.

The snowboarder, a 16-year-old whose name was not released by authorities, is facing manslaughter charges. It is not yet known whether he will be prosecuted as a juvenile or as an adult. If convicted as an adult, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

The teenager, who suffered minor injuries, returned to his home in Maryland Saturday, investigators said.

The victim was Heather Donahue, a longtime skier who recently moved from Colorado to her native Massachusetts to complete an emergency medicine internship at the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in North Grafton. She suffered massive head injuries in the crash Thursday and died Friday.

Her mother, Nancy Donahue of Chelmsford, said yesterday that her daughter's husband witnessed the crash. But her daughter, she said, ''didn't even see the kid coming."

''She had just completed a run and was waiting for her husband, talking to some friends," Nancy Donahue said. ''She was waiting, and this person was out of control and hit her with his snowboard."

According to the National Ski Areas Association, 41 skiers and snowboarders died in accidents on the slopes nationwide during the 2003-04 season, up from 37 the previous season.

Captain Jim Whalen of the Teton County Sheriff's Office said deaths resulting from skiers colliding on the slopes are very rare, with most fatalities occurring when skiers or snowmobilers hit a tree or take a bad jump.

The crash involving Donahue happened shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday. Donahue was in Wyoming for the week to ski and spend time with her husband's family, her mother said.

According to witness accounts given to investigators, the snowboarder was traveling down the hill at an extremely high rate of speed when he struck Donahue near the lower portion of Laramie Bowl, an intermediate slope.

The snowboarder didn't appear to try to avoid Donahue, even though there was space to do so, the witnesses said.

The impact broke the snowboard in two and sent both Donahue and the snowboarder sliding about 30 feet down the mountain, investigators said.

Donahue immediately lost consciousness. Her spleen was operated on at a local hospital to stabilize her, and she was transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where she died Friday.

A memorial service for Donahue is planned for Saturday in Meredith, N.H.

The elder of two daughters, Donahue was raised in Chelmsford and graduated from Colgate University and Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, her mother said.

She had planned to specialize in emergency medicine after completing her internship in June and had just started applying for jobs.

''She was beginning her life," said Nancy Donahue.

A snowHead

chris, I see your point, I really really do. However it's impossible to get non-British folk to abide by queuing rules, so getting them to apply a similar attitude to skiing speed/control is nigh on ....well....er hem. "Impossible" is the word that sprang to mind. rolling eyes

I'd rather see people lobbying management at their favourite resort to provide-US style piste-police, cheaper instruction, and force-feeding slope users with piste etiquette and safety instructions.

snowskisnow said

A snowHead

The number of questions from Direct Travel I was obliged to answer after a woman skier broke my collarbone in VT makes me think that the insurance industry may make the 1st move.

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

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This is a really terriable thing and as part of the Donahue/Kieth family we understand all that you say and are trying to settle with the familky of the young boy but we find it hard because he has not once offered his condolences to our family.

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rwdylax28, that's very sad to hear and at the same time very annoying.

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rwdylax28, Welcome to Snowheads. I wish it could have been in different circumstances. My sincere condolences to all concerned. Your post should also remind us that the web is a widely accessed global tool, and that we should remember this when posting

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rwdylax28, my condolences to you and your family. My daughter is an enthusiastic skier and aspiring to be a vet like Heather Donahue, so this tragedy was poignant for me.

After all it is free

rwdylax28, good to have you here. Although as others have said, I wish it was under different circumstances.

rwdylax28, welcome to SnowHeads, my condolences.

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Am thinking outloud here, and have not given mush thought to the logisitics, but...

...just as football hooligans are banned from attending games, why not ban reckless skiers / boarders from the slopes? Certainly it would be difficult where people are buying day passes with cash etc (ie. no names), but certainly it would stop them obtaining lift passes through tour operaters. In fact it may require a new rule meaning everyone had to offer their name when purchasing a pass for however long, along with proof of ID. If they were then subsequently involved in a incident, or even caught 'speeding' on the lower slopes, it would automatically make them liable to criminal prosecution.

As I say, I realise it may be unworkable, but it's just a thought!

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Bootsy, if it were possible and I very much doubt that it would be, that's actually not a bad idea

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Bootsy, welcome to snowHeads!

I'd not be so quick to class it as unworkable, it's actually a matter of commitment. The example that Bootsy uses of football mitigates to it working, after all it works there, apparently the burden of proof isn't insurmountable. And, yet, apparently for driving proving dangerous driving is very difficult. You can only assume the real difference is commitment.

You know it makes sense.

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

A snowHead

laundryman, don't get me started Mad

A snowHead

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

ise, firstly you have to spot the dangerous users of the Piste, with football hooligans it's much easier especially with modern cctv in city centers plus police equiped with video cameras, much harder on a mountain side, possibly in poor weather with the offenders face hidden behind goggles and mask. to get the offenders on the piste you would need enforcement officials who could catch the offender, then you need to get his passsport/id card next you need all the ski resorts in the world to have similar arangements for identifiying offenders, you need a multinational agreement to ban them from the slopes etc, etc

It's just too big a job to get to work Sad

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I saw fast skiers being told off by ski patrols in Les Houches and Whistler before. The ski patrols are better skiers and they can catch the speeding skiers. Just a few words will do the trick. Skiing instructors sometimes also intervene.

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The way the football bans work is very different to what Bootsy is proposing. All football clubs employ a police liason officer, and the local police have "spotters". Basically, these people follow the team home and away and mingle with the fans (in plain clothes) looking for known trouble makers. Every so often, this approach fails as in the recent Blackburn/Burnley match where a pitch invader was found to be serving a ban, but had got round it.

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Glad to see that you lot have got your thinking caps on re: logistics!

I am sure that internationally it would be nigh on impossible. Perhaps the starting point would be American and European systems, since the vast majority of those skiing in the US are going to be American / Canadian and those in Europe European. Again, I appreciate that it is a sweeping generalisation, but certainly it might serve to make people think twice. It would make sharing databases etc more strightforward - although in 2005 you would think it can't be that hard to go worldwide(!) It's not as if you can 'nip across' to Whistler for a couple of days like you can Chamonix...

As I said, it's more a case of mental gymnastics than anything in terms of trying to create something workable.

I have something of a personal interest since c.10yrs ago my mother was hit by a speeding teen on skis in France. The force broke her bindings she was knocked out of them so fast, and she suffered injuries to her lower leg and more importantly her confidence - she hasn't skied again since! Although not life threatening it was enough to deprieve her of something she once enjoyed. Needless to say, the skier involved saw from down the slope that she was not seriously injured and cleared off sharpish. This is not intended to be a sob story by the way, just a less serious (if unfortunate) example of what started this thread.

After all it is free

Bootsy, I feel for your mother, this Jan I was hit by a speeding skier, the impact broke my collarbone. I now have 2 issues to deal with. 1. I still have a broken bone 8 weeks on (hospital 8/3). 2. Despite treating myself to some new skis in a sale, the thought of going skiing once I am well is making me feel anxious. I guess I will be at a snowdome/zone sometime over the summer taking lessons and trying to restore my confidence.
Tony Lane, I believe that the webcams already in place in most resorts could be used more effectively. I surfed on one French resorts' webcam a couple of winters ago and had a moving image!

I wonder how practical it would be to have a Multi Level Certification system in place for ski and board mountain users, linked to ski pass purchase? Say something like four/five grades. It would mean certifying skiers to a certain level of competency, i.e. a first time skier would not be able to purchase an entire resort pass, until their competence was assessed by say a Ski School instructor. They would be given access to the lift system in line with their proficiency. Further assessments would be needed for the additional grades. A mountain safety induction may also be desirable as a lot of 'recklesness' on the slopes is down to ignorance rather than design. If such a system was kept as simple as possible, it may be a reasonable solution and one that may avoid a 'Police Piste'!

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I'd like that idea but what about the people who've been skiing for twenty or thirty years do they have to go back to school to get a certificate to tell them they can ski ? if not where is the cut off point 2 years 5 years ? I think it would be difficult to implement, also whilst it sorts the incompetant from the competant it does not remove the problem of reckless skiers/boarders, i. those who can ski well but choose to ski without consideration for anyone else

Help!!

Snowboarder charged with manslaughter

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