NEED TO KNOW
- A skier is dead after he lost control on a Colorado mountain and collided with a tree on Jan. 23
- He was pronounced dead at a medical facility at the base of the mountain
- It’s the fourth death at Colorado ski resorts this winter
A skier has died after he crashed into a tree with “considerable force” while descending a Colorado mountain.
On Friday, Jan. 23, at approximately 10:45 a.m. local time, officials received a report that a skier had hit a tree on Copper Mountain, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
While at the scene, deputies learned that a man, who was visiting from out of state, was skiing down American Flyer, an intermediate run at Copper Mountain Resort, when he “lost control” and collided with a tree. While others witnessed the crash, no one else was involved.
Copper Mountain Ski Patrol rushed to the scene, where they provided life-saving aid to the man, who had been wearing a helmet at the time of the incident, officials said. The unidentified skier was then transported to an urgent care center at the base of the mountain, where he was pronounced dead.
An investigation is ongoing, and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office and the Summit County Coroner’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.
“Our role is to conduct an independent investigation, so families have clear, accurate, and timely information about what happened,” said Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons in the news release. “We also investigate whether any potential criminal elements are involved in serious crashes.”
The sheriff added that, oftentimes, “fatal crashes are tragic accidents, and nothing more.”
“Our investigation helps loved ones better understand the circumstances of their loss,” he continued. “My deepest sympathy goes out to the family and friends affected by this loss.”
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Copper Mountain is 12,441 feet high and is a popular skiing and snowboarding destination. But the winter activities aren’t without danger. The recent accident is the fourth death at Colorado ski resorts this winter, CBS affiliate KCNC reported.
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