21-year-old snowboarder, Connor English, died early Wednesday afternoon in a snowboarding accident at Holiday Valley Resort, New York.
At approximately 1:30 p.m., “The individual apparently lost control while snowboarding, went off the trail and collided with a tree,” said Jane Eshbaugh, marketing director at Holiday Valley. “He was transported by ambulance to Olean General Hospital,” Mrs. Eshbaugh said. “It is our understanding he passed away at the hospital.”
English was a junior environmental studies major enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford from Warren, Pa.
An autopsy determined the cause of death as internal bleeding from blunt-force trauma. Mr. Easton said he was told Mr. English was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends,” Ms. Eshbaugh said. “We’re saddened by this tragic loss of life.”
This was the first fatality at Holiday Valley Resort since 2008 when Robert Cunningham, a 62-year-old Hamburg man, died after colliding with a tree off of the Edelweiss ski run. That same season a 29-year-old, lost control of his snowboard and ran into a tree. He succumbed to his injuries later at an area hospital.