Private Ski Instructor of Deceased American Skier in Val Thorens, France, Arrested - SnowBrains

"The private ski instructor accompanying an American skier who died at Val Thorens, France, on Tuesday, December 30, has been arrested by French authorities. The instructor, who has not been publicly identified, was allegedly under the influence of narcotics at the time of the accident, though he tested negative for alcohol. According to French newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré, the instructor consented to an initial drug test, which returned a positive result."

"The American skier died after a fall in an off-piste area of Val Thorens, located in France's Savoie region. The accident occurred mid-afternoon in the Boismint sector of the resort while the skier was outside marked runs with the independent instructor. The local ski patrol, Service des Pistes de la Vallée des Belleville (SPVB), responded to the incident and reported that the skier suffered a severe fall."

"The Albertville public prosecutor has launched an investigation for "manslaughter by manifestly deliberate violation of a duty of safety and caution," as well as for "the use of narcotics." Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and aims to clarify the precise circumstances surrounding the fatal crash. In a public statement issued following the incident, the Savoie Prefect urged skiers to exercise caution across the department. "Weather conditions in recent weeks have significantly affected the ski slopes, with very different conditions from one massif to another," the statement "

French authorities arrested a private ski instructor after an American skier died following an off-piste fall at Val Thorens on December 30. The instructor reportedly tested negative for alcohol but had a positive initial drug test; additional analyses will determine substance type and quantity. Prosecutors opened an investigation for manslaughter by manifestly deliberate violation of a duty of safety and caution and for the use of narcotics. The accident occurred mid-afternoon in the Boismint sector while the skier was outside marked runs; local ski patrol reported a severe fall and the victim, 45, wore a helmet. Local officials urged skiers to exercise caution given variable slope conditions.

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