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Snowboarder killed at Breckenridge Friday

Caddie Nath
cnath@summitdaily.com

Evan Massini, 20, of Westbrook, Conn., died following a snowboard incident on Northstar, an intermediate run at Breckenridge Ski Resort at approximately 1 p.m. Friday.

Massini was wearing a helmet but struck a tree with his trunk and had massive internal injuries, according to a release from Summit County Coroner Joanne Richardson.

The victim was reportedly put on advanced life support and taken to the Breckenridge Medical Center by ambulance after the accident, according to a statement from the resort.



Massini was in his third year at the University of Colorado Boulder and was up snowboarding with roommates for the day.

Dr. Charles Tuft, a longtime local doctor, died after a ski accident on Vail Mountain’s opening day Friday.



Tuft, 62, was transported to the Vail Valley Medical Center after the accident on Gitalong Road, a beginner trail between the Columbine and Bear Tree trails on Vail Mountain, a Vail Mountain statement issued Friday afternoon said.

“A call came into Vail Ski Patrol at approximately 10:17 a.m. and ski patrol responded immediately,” the statement said.

An Eagle County Sheriff’s Office statement said Tuft apparently lost control when he went off an embankment and suffered bodily trauma. He was wearing a helmet.

“Vail Ski Patrol administered medical assistance, along with Eagle County Ambulance personnel,” the Sheriff’s Office statement said. “The male party was taken to the Vail Valley Medical Center where resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.”

Vail Valley Medical Center spokeswoman Lindsay Warner said Tuft was transported to the hospital at 11 a.m. and was pronounced dead at 1:06 p.m.

The hospital released a statement Friday evening that said Tuft received “basic life support before being transported to Vail Valley Medical Center where he was evaluated and trauma resuscitation was initiated.”

“Dr. Tuft failed to respond to treatment and was pronounced dead at the medical center,” the statement said.

Tuft was the president of Alpine Mobile Physicians, a local on-call mobile medical service group. He was an altitude sickness expert and had traveled as an expedition doctor on Mount Everest.

“The Vail Resorts family extend their deepest sympathy and support the family and friends of the (victims),” the statements said.


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