Suspect named after skier collision leaves one in critical condition at Colorado resort

A skier in a red jacket in the backcountry
A male ski biker left the scene after injuring two skiers in the collision (Image credit: Thomas Barwick)

Colorado officials say they have identified the suspect in a recent skier collision at Breckenridge Ski Resort that left one party in critical condition.

The incident took place between 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. on January 2 near the intersection of Blackjack and Prospector ski trails when a male on an orange Snow-Go ski bike struck a father and daughter who were visiting from California.

"As the father and daughter were exiting the Blackjack run, an unidentified male on a ski bike descended from behind and collided with the daughter, causing her to fall to the ground and sustain injuries," wrote the Summit County Sheriff's Office on Facebook following the incident.

"Subsequently, the same male then collided with the father, who was just ahead of the daughter. The daughter was treated for her injuries and has been released. The father sustained serious bodily injuries and is in critical condition at a Denver area hospital.

The injured man was reportedly no longer listed as critical on January 4. There was no description of the suspect at the time of the incident, but the Summit Daily reports that a 50-year-old Louisiana man has now been cited with leaving the scene of a collision, a Class 2 petty offense, under Colorado’s Ski Safety Act

Under the Ski Safety Act, leaving the scene of a collision that results in injury before giving your name and current address to an employee or ski patroller can result in a fine of up to $1,000. When you are skiing at a resort, it is important to understand skiing safety: stay in control, know your ability level and always yield to downhill skiers.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has any information to contact the Summit County 911 Center at 970-668-8600.

Julia Clarke

Julia Clarke is a staff writer for Advnture.com and the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. She loves to explore mountains on foot, bike, skis and belay and then recover on the the yoga mat. Julia graduated with a degree in journalism in 2004 and spent eight years working as a radio presenter in Kansas City, Vermont, Boston and New York City before discovering the joys of the Rocky Mountains. She then detoured west to Colorado and enjoyed 11 years teaching yoga in Vail before returning to her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in 2020 to focus on family and writing.