At Colorado’s Copper Mountain ski resort, a sledding mishap on Sunday night, 19 March, claimed the lives of two teenagers. Around 8:35 p.m. on Sunday, deputies from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office sped over to the ski facility.
The two adolescents, ages 17 and 18, from Prairie Central High School in Illinois, were on spring break when they launched from a sizable snowbank at the bottom of the halfpipe while riding tandem.
A single plastic sled, which is not permitted on Copper Mountain courses, was being ridden by the teenagers. Also, this happened after the resort had closed its sections. The boy’s school district has identified the two young males involved and has asked for prayers for their families.
Their names from the de@th inquiry have not yet been made public by the Summit County Coroner. They suffered blunt-force damage when they crashed against the ice below hard.
They received urgent medical assistance, but the Summit County Sheriff’s Office reports that they were declared dead because they could not be revived. Dylan Bazzell and Drew Fehr are the named teenagers.
Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said (as reported by ABC News) –
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families and friends of the individuals involved in this tragic incident.”
Dustin Lyman, Copper Mountain’s president and general manager, said in a statement (as reported by USA Today) –
“The entire team at Copper Mountain is deeply saddened by this tragic incident. Our most sincere condolences go out to the affected families and friends. We are also thankful to our local emergency responders, for their quick response and the medical assistance provided.”
The Summit County Coroner’s Office will continue to ascertain the cause and manner of de@th while the inquiry continues. The resort also added that safety is its top priority (as reported by CBS News) –
“we’d ask our guests to please observe posted signs and warnings and not enter closed trails and areas.”
If you are interested in reading more news that is comparable to this, then you can go there by clicking on the links that are provided below:
- In a Collision in Delaware County, a Mother and Two Children Died
- 5 Sylvan Hills Students Died in Wyoming College Visit Car Accident
Spencer Wilson, a reporter for Mountain Newsroom, questioned whether this might be a symptom of a greater trend in tourism, with more people living in the area increasing the risk of accidents and being unaware of safe mountain recreation practices. FitzSimons said (as reported by CBS News) –
“It’s a combination of both, absolutely both. As we get more people it is going to happen more, unfortunately. This was a tragic incident that happened last night that affected a community in the Midwest, it will be forever a dark place in their hearts.”
Around 78 miles west of Denver is Copper Mountain. Follow us on Twitter for the latest news and up-to-date information.
