GRAHAM COUNTY — A Washington man eventually succumbed to injuries sustained following a crash during paragliding.
The man, identified as David (Ronald) Wolfe was paragliding with his son-in-law at Frye Mesa when he lost altitude and crashed at about 4:30 p.m. on Monday, July 3.
Graham County Sheriff’s deputies were the first to arrive on the scene, and reported Wolfe was awake and coherent. He reportedly had a laceration over his left eye, and what appeared to be broken bones in his left arm and left leg. The deputies also reported a large dent on the back of Wolfe’s helmet, which had been removed prior to the deputies’ arrival.
When Graham County Search and Rescue arrived, they loaded Wolfe onto a backboard and cage for transport down the mountain. Wolfe was reportedly slipping in and out of consciousness during the trip, as well as vomiting.
Air ambulance was unavailable, so Wolfe was transported to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center via Lifeline ground ambulance. Despite medical efforts, Wolfe was pronounced dead at 10:28 p.m.
An autopsy to determine cause of death has been ordered with the Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office.
