Mountain biker hurt, in serious condition
By Kelsey Dayton, Jackson Hole, Wyo.
July 27, 2009
A Jackson man was in serious condition Sunday in the intensive-care unit at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center after a mountain biking accident Saturday afternoon.
David Houlton, 33, was riding on Parallel Trail near Teton Pass when his bike flipped and he landed on his head, said Sgt. Tom Combs of the Teton County Sheriff’s Office.
Houlton, who was wearing a helmet, was taken first to St. John’s Medical Center and then by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
The accident happened at 1:08 p.m. on a steep embankment, about 200 feet from Highway 22, Combs said. Houlton reportedly crashed after going off a jump. He was unconscious when medical personnel arrived.
Emergency workers were helping Houlton when they received an unrelated call about a 77-year-old Pennsylvania man who began to have trouble breathing while taking scenic photographs nearby. With both incidents being dealt with at the same time, numerous law enforcement, fire and emergency medical service vehicles were parked along the highway. Highway 22 traffic was stopped or limited to one lane for about an hour, Combs said.
