fatal roll over at Laurel Lakes near Mammoth Lakes

[sheepdawg]

I just got done speaking to my friend who was a witness to a fatal rollover this last weekend at Laurel Lakes, near Mammoth Lakes. It is a popular destination for off roaders. My friend was actually at Laurel Lakes and heard the Toyota 4 Runner roll over and found the solo driver ejected from the rig. According to my friend, the roll over occurred at the hair pin switch back just before you drop into the last basin at Laurel Lakes. She was in a razor with her friend and the 4 runner was driving up and out of the basin. She believes the driver tipped over when he went up on the rock and flipped the 4 runner over, where it rolled multiple times. The driver was alone with two dogs. One of the dogs was killed in the rollover as well. The male driver was actually the new emergency room doctor for Mammoth Hospital according to my friend. She was quite disturbed by the incident and I am only passing the information along as a learning lesson for others. It appears the driver was not wearing a seat belt.

Having driven the road many times over the last 30 years, I have stopped taking my rig down the final switch back because it was too hairy for me. Even in my quad, it is at least a 3 point turn. If I find out anymore information, I will relay it.

Be safe out there.

 

[OverlanderJK]

Wear your seatbelt. As a doctor he should know that. I don't feel bad for stupid. Sucks for the dog and his family.

 

[wayoflife]

You have got to be kidding me. Something similar happened on freeway ridge a couple of years back. :naw:

I used to go to Laurel Laks all the time but stopped going because it just got to be too crowded. Never thought the switchback was that bad though.

 

[Armydog]

You have got to be kidding me. Something similar happened on freeway ridge a couple of years back. :naw:

I used to go to Laurel Laks all the time but stopped going because it just got to be too crowded. Never thought the switchback was that bad though.

Agreed, some people do not deserve dogs

 

[doojer]

Yikes what an awful thing to witness. I don't know if I ever encountered that switchback? It was always super snowy when we went so we'd walk the last little bit of the trail... then again, my memory sucks!

 

[bigtrucker52]

Man that sucks

 

[dwvninety]

Sad to hear for anyone's loss whether its a human life or a pet :grayno:

 

[sheepdawg]

Wear your seatbelt. As a doctor he should know that. I don't feel bad for stupid. Sucks for the dog and his family.

It is a heavy price to pay for a mistake. This guy was one of the more productive members of society and did not deserve to die at only 44 years old. He has helped 1000s of people in his life. I don't feel bad for people who die of overdoses, drunk drivers, parolees, criminals, etc. but it just goes so show you that life is fragile and can be over in a second. I'm sure he never thought his life would end while just out exploring some awesome back country roads.

Let's have some class and just learn from his mistake and not put him down as stupid. Hell, we don't know how we will leave this life one day and it may be just as tragic as his if we are not careful.

 

[Petthefish]

I have driven that road a bunch over the years, Never ever ever would I think of doing it without a seatbelt!!

 

[2013CGJKU]

It is a heavy price to pay for a mistake. This guy was one of the more productive members of society and did not deserve to die at only 44 years old. He has helped 1000s of people in his life. I don't feel bad for people who die of overdoses, drunk drivers, parolees, criminals, etc. but it just goes so show you that life is fragile and can be over in a second. I'm sure he never thought his life would end while just out exploring some awesome back country roads.

Let's have some class and just learn from his mistake and not put him down as stupid. Hell, we don't know how we will leave this life one day and it may be just as tragic as his if we are not careful.

Doctors possess some of the least common sense out of anyone in the world... having the ability to retain all sorts of knowledge doesn't mean you are incapable of making absolutely idiotic decisions that will cost you and your dog's life.

Sucks that he's dead, sucks that his dog is dead. Feel for his family. BUT! If you do stupid shit, especially in a 4x4 in a hairy situation, you are gambling with your life and you will eventually lose that bet if you make it enough times. Don't feel bad for him.

 

[piginajeep]

Yikes what an awful thing to witness. I don't know if I ever encountered that switchback? It was always super snowy when we went so we'd walk the last little bit of the trail... then again, my memory sucks!

Puff puff pass

 

[OverlanderJK]

It is a heavy price to pay for a mistake. This guy was one of the more productive members of society and did not deserve to die at only 44 years old. He has helped 1000s of people in his life. I don't feel bad for people who die of overdoses, drunk drivers, parolees, criminals, etc. but it just goes so show you that life is fragile and can be over in a second. I'm sure he never thought his life would end while just out exploring some awesome back country roads.

Let's have some class and just learn from his mistake and not put him down as stupid. Hell, we don't know how we will leave this life one day and it may be just as tragic as his if we are not careful.

So you don't feel bad for drug users, drunks, parolees and criminals who make mistakes but you feel bad for this guy who made a mistake? That's some sound logic.

You can feel bad all you want, me not so much.

 

[Fir-na-tine]

This guy made a conscious decision to not wear a seat belt while driving a motor vehicle and it cost him his life.......I feel bad for his family and their loss but I can't feel sorry for someone who died because of their own ignorance......buckle up when you're in a motor vehicle no matter what the speed..... err on the side of caution because complacency can kill

~Woodrow~

 

[jkbarnett]

I heard about this accident on the news, thanks for the additional info. Never thought that last switchback was dangerous, just need to be careful.

 

[Wardell]

Considering he rolled over multiple times, I'm wondering if the seatbelt would have been enough to save him. Still, that's no reason to take the chance not wearing one. At the very least, it would have kept him from getting ejected and killed on impact with the ground, or crushed if the vehicle rolled over top of him.

There's really only two situations not to wear a seat belt (deep or swift water crossings and ice roads) and that's to make it so you can escape the vehicle and not drown if it goes under. Any other time, buckle up.

 

[wayoflife]

Considering he rolled over multiple times, I'm wondering if the seatbelt would have been enough to save him. Still, that's no reason to take the chance not wearing one. At the very least, it would have kept him from getting ejected and killed on impact with the ground, or crushed if the vehicle rolled over top of him.

My friend Ken rolled his Jeep 4 times at 75 MPH. He's lucky to be alive but he was wearing his seatbelt and he had a sport cage. Again, this was at highway speeds where the energy we're talking is significantly greater than would be a roll in a place like Laurel Lakes.

 

[bkac]

Stupidity or not a life was lost. If I had a kid that died being stupid it would still be devastated. I think this is a great reminder and my heart goes out to his friends and family. I think we've all done really stupid things but luckily we're still alive to learn from our mistakes.

 

[thardy]

This reminds be of the whole situation when Shannon Fox (Bombshell Rock Bouncer) died doing donuts in the parking lot while not wearing a helmet and not strapped in before an event. My first thought was that people learn from that incident. Well, the other day I saw on Instagram that her daughter is going to be drive the rig now and they posted a shot of her jumping it for the first time. If you look closely you can see that she's not wearing a helmet. All I could do was shake my head. Some people just don't learn.

 

[doojer]

Puff puff pass

I never travel through the Puff Puff Pass without a seatbelt!

 

[TheDuff]

Is it possible he was wearing his seat belt and the buckle failed during the roll over?