Snowboarder causes Avalanche that buries 3 people

mickeyrat

What penalties for something like this?
All 3 are expected to recover. But first responders have capped gas lines and cleared downed power lines , so those three aren't the only ones affected.
Local authorities haven't charged anyone yet as they haven't said definitively what/who caused this but a local US Forest Service avalanche center is saying just that. All slopes had been closed to recreational use and the slope in question is normally closed from Dec 1 to Mar 15 to provide foraging range for Elk.





edit for update: The woman died today while her husband remains in critical condition. The 8 yr old is expected to make a full recovery.

polaris_x

link to the story? ... tried searching but getting nothing based on the info you provided ..

mickeyrat

Try montana avalanche. On my phone right now. Happened right outside of missoula

mickeyrat

heres one link to the story

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/02/us-usa-montana-avalanche-idUSBREA2100420140302

local paper reporting the elderly woman died today

http://missoulian.com/news/local/woman-buried-by-mount-jumbo-avalanche-dies/article_f631ed92-a30b-11e3-9979-001a4bcf887a.html

Kinda amps up the seriousness of possible charges.

polaris_x

thanks ... i did find it earlier after you gave the location ...

thing tho is it looks like the house they were in were in a bad part of the area regardless as a lot of things could trigger an avalanche at the time ... not to defend the snowboarder but the main thing we should learn from this is to not build in unsafe areas ...

Jason P

the fact that the it took out a house to me seems like this situation was going to happen sooner or later, regardless if a snowboarder was involved.

mickeyrat

I agree it likely would have happened, BUT at that time BY that person in an area that was off limits?
We wont know if those people would have been home or that kid outside had it occured naturally. Since it didnt and now the woman has died, what do you think?

hedonist

We can't know what might've happened had the snowboarder not gone against the directive at the time (separate from the elk issue)...but it's a good reminder to HEED THESE TYPES OF REGULATIONS. They're not made willy-nilly. If someone's going to be living in or visiting an area prone to avalanches, it's incumbent upon them to be responsible in that environment.

Cosmo

My take is this...
If you choose to ignore warnings, such as closed off areas at ski resorts, you should assume ALL responsibility and be held accountable to ALL liabilities your decison/actions incur. This means you have to pay the bill for all search and rescue operations, not the county or the state. This includes all the costs for helicopter operations, personel and all medical expenses.
You should also be the person held responsible for any and all injuries and deaths as a result of your poor decision, including injuries or deaths to search and rescue workers who are put at risk because you are an idiot.
...
Being a careless, self-centered stupid asshole should come with consequences... both painful and extremely expensive.