A 21-year-old man lost his life Tuesday after attempting to jump across a Colorado highway, the Grand County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
An unidentified man died while attempting a high-risk ski jump across Colorado’s Highway 40, according to the Grand County Sheriff’s Office. Responders received a call about an unconscious skier who was not breathing. Upon arrival, it was evident that the skier had tried to leap the width of the highway but failed to achieve the necessary speed and distance.
“The preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was attempting to perform a high-risk skiing stunt by trying to clear the width of Highway 40 and unfortunately lacked the necessary speed and distance and subsequently landed on the highway pavement,” authorities wrote in a Facebook post. “The victim had been wearing a helmet and other protective gear.”
Efforts to resuscitate the man were unsuccessful, and he was declared dead at the scene. “Emergency responders arrived on scene and determined that the male subject was deceased and the Grand County Coroner’s Office was notified to respond to the scene,” the statement read. (RELATED: ‘Drunk’ Skier Falls 130 Feet From Gondola, Impales Himself On Beacon And Dies, French Outlet Reports)
The incident led to temporary traffic disruptions on Highway 40 as investigators worked on the incident. The Grand County Coroner’s Office is leading the ongoing investigation into the accident. “The Grand County Coroner’s Office has assumed primary jurisdiction for this incident and will release the victim’s identity and cause and manner of death when appropriate,” Grand County Sheriff’s Office stated.