Image by, John White
On Tuesday, Telluride Municipal Judge David Westfall sentenced Telluride local William Winship in a reckless endangerment case that resulted in both he and Bethany Vitt of Becksville, Ohio being transported by helicopter to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction.
The accident occurred back in February when Winship was skiing down Lookout, a blue intermediate run, and struck Vitt. “He was going way too fast and hit Ms. Vitt, who was a beginner-type skier,” Assistant District Attorney Keri Yoder said.
As a result of the accident, Vitt had to undergo several surgeries, broke nine bones, spent a month in the hospital and several more in rehabilitation centers relearning how to walk and other basic physical functions.
Winship will serve two years of unsupervised probation, perform 60 hours of community service and pay Vitt more than $40,000 in restitution.
Ski collisions in Colorado fall under the Ski Safety Act. The act states that the person skiing downhill has a responsibility to avoid any skiers below them, and is at fault in the case of an accident or collision.