A fatal skiing collision at a popular Wyoming resort on April 14 was ruled a “homicide” this week by the county coroner, but whether it is a crime is up to the authorities.
Skiing instructor Peter Wuerslin and an unidentified 34-year-old man collided with each other on the slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village.
Both men suffered serious injuries, and Wuerslin died three days later, on April 17. The cause of death was intracranial hemorrhage, the coroner told Fox News Digital Wednesday.
The “homicide” designation in the state of Wyoming means it is a death caused by someone else, according to the coroner, who said it is up to the sheriff’s office and prosecutor to determine if there was a crime.
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Wuerslin, 71, was skiing with a group of friends when he was hit by a skier uphill “who failed to maneuver” around him, according to ski reports obtained by Ski Mag.
He was a part-time ski instructor at the resort since 1978 and was wearing a helmet at the time, but the unidentified man was not, according to a Snow Brains report, which cited a statement from the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
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Both men were rushed to area hospitals, but Wuerslin never regained consciousness, and his family said he suffered “severe brain damage that was irreversible,” according to the Bilings Gazette.
The 34-year-old man, who has not been identified because no charges have been filed as of Wednesday afternoon, was released the same day.
The Teton County Sheriff’s Office and the county prosecutor will decide if a crime was committed.
Fox News Digital reached out to both the sheriff’s office and the prosecutor, but neither immediately responded.
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The sheriff’s office said on April 22 it is still investigating. Investigators asked any eyewitnesses to the April 14 collision to call Det. Bret Bommer at 307-733-4052
Wuerslin said he never wanted to be a “wealthy American who flew everywhere,” according to a tribute published by The Jackson Hole News and Guide.
“I think it’s been curiosity that has made me a traveler ever since I was young, and the idea of going by bicycle has always seemed the best way to interact with people,” Wuerslin was quoted as saying in the story.
“You go slow enough, you see everything — you don’t go all over the place, but where you go you get a very close look at it.”
Tributes to the beloved outdoors man flooded social media after news of his death broke, including Angus Theuermer’s Facebook video from a 2022 Idaho bike tour.
“We will miss Peter, who died yesterday after another skier ran into him,” Thuermer wrote.
Ski Resort president Mary Kate Buckley said in an emailed statement to Fox News Digital that the resort is “devastated to have lost a beloved member of our community.”
“This is obviously very sad for the organization and the community and our heart goes out to the family,” Buckley said.
She reminded skiers that everyone is required to ski in control, and “we remain focused on raising awareness of the need for safe skiing and riding.”
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