On 29th March 2002, PisteHors.com ran a story about a member of the Villard de Lans piste patrol who had been arrested following a tragic accidental accident which resulted in the death of a 28 year old female friend.
After a very busy and sociable evening celebrating the end of the season at a mountain bar, the patroller offered to take his friend down the mountain on a stretcher-sledge usually reserved to rescue victims of ski accidents.
On the descent he lost control of the sledge which finished in a ravine causing the death of the young woman. He was prosecuted for involontary manslaughter and trial took place yesterday before the Grenoble Crown Court. Judgment was reserved but should be handed down shortly.
Prosecutions of people involved in running ski resorts are increasingly frequent in France. A trend motivated by the search for liability and damages. Last year three members of the La Plagne Piste Patrol received six month prison sentences after a 40 year woman was killed by a poorly marked cord between two pistes.
The Piste Patroller was given a 18 month prison sentence, 14 months of which were suspended and banned from working as a patroller for 5 years by the Grenoble criminal court today.