A 21-year-old man has sadly died after a "high-risk" skiing stunt on a highway in Colorado.
Authorities confirmed the tragic incident occurred on Tuesday, April 9, at approximately 3:00PM near Winter Park, leaving the community in shock.
The victim, identified as Dallas LeBeau, a resident of Gilpin County, was attempting to jump over the width of Highway 40, which is just west of Berthoud Pass summit, a local mountain pass in the central part of the state, as reported by PEOPLE.
LeBeau failed to clear the road, resulting in a fatal accident.
Despite efforts to save him, LeBeau remained unconscious and unresponsive as emergency personnel arrived at the scene. Tragically, he was pronounced dead on-site.
"The preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was attempting to perform a high-risk skiing stunt by trying to clear the width of Highway 40 and unfortunately lacked the necessary speed and distance and subsequently landed on the highway pavement," the sheriff’s office stated.
Even though LeBeau was equipped with a helmet and other protective gear, it wasn't enough to save his life.
The aftermath of the incident caused disruptions in traffic on Highway 40 in both directions as authorities meticulously probed the circumstances surrounding the accident.
According to those close to him, LeBeau had a taste for thrill-seeking and had a history of pushing boundaries.
"He wanted to do things that nobody else had done," said Devin Shirk, a childhood friend of the 21-year-old, in an interview with Fox affiliate KDVR-TV. "He always said his birthday was the same day as Evel Knievel."
Despite his daring escapades, LeBeau was also known for his passion for skiing, which he eagerly shared with others.
"He encouraged other people to start skiing too," Shirk fondly recalled. "That was one of my favorite things about him too, is even if it wasn’t jumps, he would just be like, ‘You just gotta try skiing — it will change your life.'"
In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe page has been set up by Shirk to assist LeBeau's family with any expenses they might incur.
The page reads: "Dallas was a close friend of mine since before preschool. He was one of the most joyful and kind people you could ever meet. He was always raising good spirits and loved to ski ever since he was 2."
At the time of writing, the page has raised just over $48,000 from a target of $20,000.
Our thoughts are with LeBeau's loved ones at this time.
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