Lawsuit against Olympic National Park over death from mountain goat dismissed

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the widow of a Port Angeles man who was killed by a mountain goat in Olympic National Park two years ago.

Western District Court Judge Robert Bryan dismissed the case after rejecting, on Oct. 10, Susan Chadd’s negligence claim that the park failed “to summon a rescue helicopter in a timely manner” on Oct. 16, 2010, after her husband, Robert Boardman, 63, was gored to death on a Klahhane Ridge trail while trying to protect his wife and their friend.

The 370-pound male mountain goat, which was killed the same day by a park ranger, is believed to be the same animal that had repeatedly harassed hikers on Klahhane Ridge.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Bryan on Tuesday rejected a motion for reconsideration of his Aug. 20 ruling that dismissed most of Chadd’s claims in the case and dismissed the entire case, saying there were no remaining claims.

Bryan said new evidence presented by Chadd’s lawyer, personal injury attorney Stephen Bulzomi of Tacoma, did not point to “any mandatory course of action” by Olympic National Park, such as removing or killing the mountain goat after hazing the animal, which had been aggressive with hikers, did not work.

Neither Bulzomi nor Olympic National Park spokeswoman Barb Maynes would comment on the ruling.

Bulzomi has until Dec. 17 to file an appeal with the federal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

________

Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Fred Lundahl, a pilot from Whidbey Island, prepares to fuel up his 1968 Cessna Aerobat, named Scarlett, at the Jefferson County International Airport in Port Townsend. Lundahl was picking up his plane Wednesday from Tailspin Tommy’s Aircraft Repair facility located at the airport. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Fueling up

Fred Lundahl, a pilot from Whidbey Island, prepares to fuel up his… Continue reading

After hours pet clinic set for Peninsula

Opening June 6 at Sequim location

Five to be honored with community service awards

Ceremony set Thursday at Port Angeles Senior Community Center

PASD planning for expanding needs

Special education, homelessness, new facilities under discussion

Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Deputy Ed Bauck
Clallam Sheriff appoints animal control deputy

Position was vacant since end of 2024

Highway 104 road work to start week

Maintenance crews will repair road surfaces on state Highway… Continue reading

Supreme Court says no to recall reconsider

Sequim man found liable for legal fees

Chimacum Ridge seeks board members

Members to write policy, balance values, chair says

Fire destroys shop east of Port Angeles

A fire on Hickory Street east of Port Angeles… Continue reading

Jefferson Transit Authority to expand Kingston Express route

Jefferson Transit Authority has announced expanded service on its… Continue reading

From left to right, Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding students Krystol Pasecznyk and Scott McNair sand a Prothero Sloop with Sean Koomen, the school’s boat building program director. Koomen said the sanding would take one person a few days. He said the plan is to have 12 people sand it together, which will take a few hours. (Elijah Sussman/Peninsula Daily News)
Wooden boatbuilding school building ‘Twin Boats’

Students using traditional and cold-moulding construction techniques