CENTERVILLE, Utah, April 15, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — A paraglider is in serious to critical condition after a wind shift reportedly caused his glider to crash into the ground near the large mountainside “V,” put there as a tribute to Viewmont High School.
The man was paragliding with a group of about seven people, said Sgt. DeeAnn Servey, Weber County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman. A call came in at about 3 p.m.
“He crashed relatively close to the road,” Servey said. “We deployed (Davis County Sheriff’s Office) Search and Rescue, and they found him easily because he was so visible on the mountain.”
Search and Rescue workers stabilized the man so he could be picked up by medical helicopter and transported to the University of Utah Hospital, Servey said. His back was broken, and he had a possible femur break as well, she said.
“He was conscious, breathing and alert,” Servey said. “If the wind isn’t right or there’s a downdraft, you (paragliders) can fall, and he told us he had fallen from about 1,000 feet, which was why he had such serious injuries.”
Servey said she would classify the injuries as serious to critical.
Gephardt Daily will have more information as it becomes available.
