Slush Pile: Swing from Construction Crane

2006 Slush Pile

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Swing from Construction Crane

2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

Goal: Swing from a 10 story construction crane.

Result: At the bottom of his 125 foot "swing", and at full speed, Ryan Young slams into a brick building (I'll leave it to you engineers to calculate his speed at impact).

Crane swing kills man Police say wind may have blown climber into nearby building

By Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News December 7, 2005

BOULDER - An experienced rock climber died early Tuesday after he climbed to the tip of a 10-story crane on the University of Colorado campus and then used rock climbing gear to create what amounted to a giant swing.

Ryan Young, 22, may have been blown off course by a gust of wind, sending him crashing into a building across the street, CU police Lt. Tim McGraw said.

"As we all know, the winds were blowing last night, and as we also know, crane arms aren't tied down," McGraw said. "They're somewhat akin to a large weather vane. A little movement on the end of the crane could have a huge impact."

At least two witnesses told police that at 3:13 a.m. Young swung from the boom of the crane at 18th Street and Colorado Avenue, in the heart of the university campus.

A friend, whose name police did not release, had jumped with Young over a 6-foot chain-link fence surrounding the crane and its construction site. Under the cover of darkness, the pair then climbed to the top of the crane's bright yellow scaffolding.

Witnesses said the pair attached a climbing rope to the far tip of the crane's boom, which was extended across 18th Street. Police said Young then swung across 18th Street and slammed into the southwest side of the CU power plant building at 1100 18th St.

"I don't know if he miscalculated his ropes, or if the wind shook him off course," said Austin Metzger, a 22-year-old CU student who was working on an all-night project in the classroom building next door when the accident happened.

Metzger said two of his friends witnessed the accident as they took a smoke break in front of the Environmental Design building. They called 911.

"They heard the crash when he hit the building," Metzger said. "A loud crash."

Immediately after the accident, police said Young's partner climbed down from the crane.

The first policeman, who arrived within minutes, worked with witnesses to cut Young down from the rope. He was declared dead at the scene after efforts to revive him proved unsuccessful.

Boulder County Coroner Tom Faure conducted an autopsy Tuesday and ruled the death an accident, with the cause being "multiple blunt force trauma." Faure said results of a toxicology test will be available next week.

Police said they do not yet know whether alcohol was involved, or whether anyone would be charged.

"We don't know what we're going to do with the case yet," McGraw said. "Certainly, charging someone remains an option. It's just not our focus right now."

News of Young's death shocked family members and friends, who said Young was currently taking time off from classes at the Colorado School of Mines.

"He's a great kid, about as smart as they get," said John Swartly, Young's former father-in-law. "Loved the outdoors. Loved to go climbing. That was a passion."

Young graduated in 2001 from Fairview High School in Boulder, where he ran cross-country, took the school's hardest International Baccalaureate classes, and was known as an outgoing friend to many.

"He was just very, very friendly in a way I've never seen in anyone," his friend and high school classmate Stephen Becker said.

Becker said Young met his future wife by chatting up the girl behind the counter on a trip to the South Boulder Recreation Center. After high school, he said the couple flew to the Dominican Republic, where Young had spent a summer doing volunteer work. From there, they went to Florida, and then road-tripped across the United States.

After a year of wandering and working as a draftsman, Young enrolled at the Colorado School of Mines. He married his high school sweetheart. Recently, they were divorced.

This fall, Young took a time-out from his studies to work full time and pursue climbing.

Becker said Young planned to move to Alaska in January, where he would work and then spend next summer climbing.

"He was becoming very good" at climbing, Becker said.

When he wasn't climbing, he worked at the Boulder REI store.

"We definitely will miss him as an employee and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family," store supervisor Don Behr said.

bargec@rockymountainnews.com or 303-892-5059

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4295784,00.html

Submitted on 01/17/2006

Submitted by: smirb
Reference: Rocky Mountain News Dec 07,200

>> Moderator Scores <<

James said:
Definitely Toss: Repeat
We've already recieved numerous submissions on this back when it happened, and there's no new info here. Thanks for submitting, however!

Greg said:
Definitely Toss: Repeat

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2006 Slush Pile

Swing from Construction Crane

2006 Reader Submission Pending Acceptance

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2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

>> The Darwin Awards, by Wendy Northcutt <<
Link to Fight Evil.