Shades of Mt Erie?

[Dan_Miller]

From this mornings Seattle Times:

 

 

Thrown rock killed climbing leader in Wyoming

 

By MEAD GRUVER

The Associated Press

 

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A 15- to 20-pound rock that killed the Rocky Mountain regional director of the National Outdoor Leadership School as he was climbing near Lander last weekend was thrown by a 23-year-old Wyoming man, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

 

Fremont County Attorney Ed Newell said he would speak with relatives and friends of the victim, Pete Absolon, before deciding whether to file charges.

 

Newell declined to identify the rock thrower. But he said that judging from a sheriff's investigation, the man hadn't known that people were climbing below him.

 

"Apparently there were several individuals above the folks that were climbing that were unaware of the climbers below," he said. "It appears that there wasn't any deliberate attempt to strike the climbers with a rock or anything of that nature."

 

He said a report he received from the sheriff's office Tuesday afternoon said the man who threw the rock was "remorseful" and fully cooperative.

 

"It's just a sad thing both for Mr. Absolon and the individual who threw the rock, and their family," he said.

 

Absolon was climbing with a companion Saturday in the Leg Lake area of the Wind River Range west of Lander. The man who threw the rock was hiking above the climbers.

 

The rock struck Absolon in the head, shattering his helmet and killing him instantly.

 

County Coroner Ed McAuslan said Absolon's climbing partner was unable to lower Absolon's body. A team removed Absolon's body Sunday using a helicopter.

 

Absolon, 47, had been the Rocky Mountain director of NOLS since May. The school offers training in outdoor activities and survival and has 14 branches worldwide.

 

The Rocky Mountain branch, based in Lander, is NOLS' largest branch.

 

Absolon began working at the school as an instructor in 1990. He is survived by his wife, Molly, and a young daughter.

 

Newell said that while he would consult with family and friends before deciding whether to file charges, he would be the person to decide whether charges will be filed.

 

"At this juncture, we don't know what, if anything, might be done about it," he said.

 

My deepest sympathies to this gentlemen's family and NOLS.

[ivan]

you gotta at least get charge w/ manslaughter for some shit like this, no?

 

big suck

[lizard_brain]

Send him climbing up the route, while NOLS members pitch rocks off the summit.

[goatboy]

Unbelievable...but at the same time, not surprising, somehow....

[Choada_Boy]

Not many 20# block trundling opportunities left at Mt. Erie these days...

 

 

[skykilo]

you gotta at least get charge w/ manslaughter for some shit like this, no?

 

I don't see why. How would that help anyone?

[ivan]

the state's interest in public justice is to keep folks (families/clans/neighborhoods/etc) from seeking it privately which results in general chaos (like romeo n' juliet) - if some jackass killed my daughter by doing some stupid shit like chucking blocks off a cliff i'd be bent on wrecking him if the state didn't do it for me - i spent a bunch of time trundling shit in the cathedral range recently, which is damn remote, and i still made sure there was no one in the firing line when i threw shit and if i'd messed up and had killed someone anyway i could hardly bitch about getting nailed for it, no?

[Rad]

Sadly, everybody loses in these situations.

 

I remember an incident at Echo Summit near Tahoe where some teens trundled a huge boulder that flattened a hiker. I believe one or both were eventually convicted of manslaughter or negligent homicide or something.

[EWolfe]

It's the glass half-gallon whiskey and wine jugs ya gotta worry about these days

[Couloir]

This is a good article to read for all kids and the parents of kids who like to throw rocks.

 

I was on an outing a few years ago and a couple of kids in our group thought it was a good idea to push small boulders off a sandy hill along the trail we were on. Their parents thought it was great fun. Well, what looked like a clear runout, actually had two tents somewhat hidden within it and some people started yelling at us. None of the rocks hit them, but it scared the shit out of them. And rightly so. You never know what's below you. Even when you think you can see below you.

[XXX]

you gotta at least get charge w/ manslaughter for some shit like this, no?

 

big suck

 

Yes this is tragic, but no way in heck I would charge this young man with manslaughter. Granted he made a stupid mistake. And at most he was negligent. But I am not sure it was foreseeable that someone was down there. Regardless it was just a horrible accident for everyone involved.

 

I believe the guilt of the accident alone is enough punishment. Besides the prosecutors office has more serious offenses to deal with.

Edited August 16, 2007 by XXX

[Raindawg]

This reminds me of an incident a few years ago on Castle Rock near Leavenworth. I was free-soloing a route and was sort of lost on small holds about 50 feet from the top and a bit nervous. All of a sudden, a big rock comes flying by my head followed by a couple of more. I did not appreciate this and as I approached the summit, I found some local dumb-donkey unearthing rocks with his clod-hopping boots, picking them up, and heaving them down directly above the classic beginner's route, Saber. Not only were there routes below, but an approach/descent trail as well. The rocks were actually crashing through tree branches with people down below. I rushed by the moron, telling him to cease and that he very well might have killed some people. When I got to the trail to see if anyone was affected, I found two students from my university, cowering in fear in the Saber arete. This was their first attempt at leading a climb and what they got was a near-fatal terrifying experience.

The lesson?...yes, trundling is fun, but it has consequences and it's more prudent to resist the urge than frighten, maim or even kill.

[Skeezix]

I guess I was under the impression that this is a fundamental rule for everyone that hikes or climbs in the mountains: Don't trundle. Assume there is someone down below ...even if it appears highly unlikely. It's kind of like the rule about always behaving as if the gun is loaded when handling guns.

[motomagik]

I believe the guilt of the accident alone is enough punishment. Besides the prosecutors office has more serious offenses to deal with.

 

More serious offenses? His idea of a good time killed someone. I think he should be prosecuted for sure.

It reminds me of 2 years ago when some idiot swerved into the bike lane out near Hillsboro and killed a husband and wife out for a weekend ride in the country. They were riding single file in the bike lane and they were both killed. Did that person suffer any consequences? Nope. Just said "la-de-da, I'm not sure why I swerved off the road, oh well". Not even fined, didn't even lose their drivers license.

I think just maybe people should be accountable for their actions.

[sprocket]

I think you have to distinguish between an accident and a conscience decision to to do something irresponsible. I don't care if you are trundling rocks, talking on your cell phone while driving, have one to many at the bar before driving home, discharge a firearm someplace you shouldn't etc. If you do something irresponsble that hurts or kills someone else you should be punished. As someone pointed out earlier we want these issues handled in our justice system, not by individuals. I would have a very hard time with some body walking away unpunished after kiling one of my family members. To think that someone is punished enough by having to "live" with the consequences of there actions assumes they might have learned from the irresponsible thoughtless actions they took in the first place.

Edited August 16, 2007 by sprocket

[selkirk]

you gotta at least get charge w/ manslaughter for some shit like this, no?

 

big suck

 

Yes this is tragic, but no way in heck I would charge this young man with manslaughter. Granted he made a stupid mistake. And at most he was negligent. But I am not sure it was foreseeable that someone was down there. Regardless it was just a horrible accident for everyone involved.

 

I believe the guilt of the accident alone is enough punishment. Besides the prosecutors office has more serious offenses to deal with.

 

Is it ok to drive on backroads at 2:00 in the morning without your headlights on?

 

How about fire a gun in downtown Seattle, even if you have a good target that it won't punch through?

 

Put liquor in the punch for a high school dance when you know people will be driving home?

 

At some point it becomes gross negligence, even if it wasn't intentional. I could be wrong but isn't that the definition of manslaughter?

[lizard_brain]

I was JUST having FUN.

[ericb]

I was JUST having FUN.

 

It's not like he was skipping rocks across the pond...this was a 20 lb rock. Regardless, a manslaughter charge and associated punishment would be quite small relative to his financial liability should the family decide to sue. He might as well become a vagabond climber with no assets to seize or income to garner.