There was a tragedy on the trails of the Sunday River Ski Resort in Maine Wednesday morning after two teenagers riding a sled down a ski trail hit a tree, killing one and badly injuring another.
The crash happened around 2 a.m. An 18-year-old, identified as David Kohlhase, was killed, and a 17-year-old was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. Both teens are from New Hampshire.
Derek Malila identified the injured teen as his son, Max Malila, of Hampton. In a Facebook post, the elder Malila said his son is suffering from a fractured skull. They are hoping for a full recovery.
Both teens attended Portsmouth High School, where Kohlhase was a senior.
According to Oxford County Chief Deputy Hart Daley, the two teens were sledding on an inflatable tube-style sled on the Tempest Trail, a black diamond, expert level course. A 911 call came in from a third, uninjured teenager, around 2 a.m.
"It's horrible," said Daley. "They were probably a couple of young guys out looking for some thrill, in Maine winter on a ski slope, and it just turned into tragedy."
Sunday River does not allow trail use at night and prohibits sledding.
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"The ski community is a small one, so our hearts and energies go out to those involved," said Sunday River spokesperson Darcy Lambert. She said she is not aware of any other sledding accidents on the mountain.
