Local authorities are seeking information related to a collision that occurred on Grand County ski slopes, leaving an 8-year-old seriously injured.

According to the Fraser Winter Park Police Department, the collision took place in the area of Butch’s Breezeway and Gangway at about 1:15 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. The 8-year-old boy was reportedly skiing down the mountain when he stopped on the run. While stopped, he was allegedly struck by a middle-aged male snowboarder. Both the boy and the man went to the ground, and while the snowboarder briefly spoke with the boy, he then left the area.

Thankfully, an unrelated and unidentified witness was able to provide aid to the injured 8-year-old, then escorting him to a ski patroller. The ski patroller then transported the boy to the East Grand Community Clinic, with it later determined that the boy had sustained a concussion and facial injuries as a result of the incident.

Local police are now searching for anyone who witnessed the incident or may be able to identify the adult male snowboarder who collided with the boy.

In addition to the police report on the matter, a post on Reddit from a user claiming to be the boy’s father addresses what is presumably the same situation. The post was made on March 2 – a day before the press release on the matter was published by police.

The Reddit post recounts the same scenario that’s laid out in the police press release, adding some additional detail related to where the collision took place – near the bottom of the Prospector Lift. Additional information about the facial injuries the boy sustained was also provided – injuries that required stitches in the mouth and a missing tooth.

It’s also worth noting that the Redditor’s post and related comments seem to indicate that the boy was on the mountain as part of the competition center’s development program, with another Redditor chiming in to describe this experience as follows: “It’s common for coaches to set a meeting point and have kids ski a specific run, practice a drill in pairs, or lap terrain while the coach works briefly with an individual athlete. That level of independence is intentional and aligned with the kids’ ability level. It’s part of what makes the program so strong.”

When a skier or snowboarder is stopped somewhere on the mountain in Colorado and a collision occurs, it’s generally the person who collides with the stopped person that would be at fault. After all, the downhill mountain user has the right-of-way, moving or not.

It’s also worth noting that Colorado’s Ski Safety Act requires those involved in a person vs. person collision that results in injury to stay at the scene until they’re able to give their name and current address to an employee of the ski area operator or a member of ski patrol.

Anyone with information that may be related to this case should contact the Fraser Winter Park Police Department at 970-722-7779.

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