FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: December 29, 2020
SNOWMOBILER COLLISION RESULTS IN RIDER’S DEATH
GRAND COUNTY, CO- On December 26, 2020 at approximately 11:35 a.m. the Grand County Sheriff’s Office along with Grand County EMS, members of the Mountain Medical Response Team (MMRT), East Grand Fire Department, and Grand Adventures responded to a report of a possible snowmobiler crashing into a tree in the area of Trail #1 approximately 2 miles from the Outpost on Rollins Pass Road and Forest Service Road 149 outside of Winter Park. Upon arriving on scene, responders located a snowmobile that had collided with a tree. A medical helicopter was placed on standby. The snowmobile rider was found injured and moved by MMRT from the accident location to a Grand County EMS ambulance.
Later this date at 1:39 p.m, Benjamin Machala, Age 26, from Texas, was pronounced deceased by the Grand County Coroner. Mr. Machala’s next of kin has been notified and an investigation into the cause and manner of death is being conducted by the Grand County Coroner’s Office. The snowmobile accident is being investigated by the Sheriff’s Office.
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