Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Pilot of fatal hang glider flight is accused of swallowing evidence


Lenami Godinez hang-glider who suffered a fatal fall near Agassiz, British Columbia
Photograph by: Screengrab , Linkedin.com



 



The hang gliding pilot charged with obstructing justice after the weekend death of his client is accused of swallowing evidence. 

Court documents filed by Crown Counsel in Chilliwack suggest William Orders tried to hide video from the tragic fall, by swallowing a memory card, recording the fatal flight. The 50 year old is slated to apply for bail Wednesday afternoon in Chilliwack provincial court. On Saturday, 27 year old Lenami Godinez fell about 300 metres to her death seconds after taking off from a Fraser Valley mountainside in a tandem glide piloted by Orders.
 
The pilot involved in Saturday's fatal hang-gliding accident in the Fraser Valley has been charged with obstructing justice.

William (Jon) Orders, 50, of Burnaby, was arrested shortly after the incident, in which 27-year-old Lenami Godinez became detached from the glider and fell 300 metres to her death.

RCMP Cpl. Tammy Hollingsworth said the charge against Orders is in connection with "an allegation that he withheld potential key evidence which could help determine whether he played a role in any wrongdoing."

She wouldn't give further details. Orders has been remanded in custody until Wednesday when he will appear in Chilliwack Provincial Court.

Orders, who runs Vancouver Hang Gliding and has 16 years experience, was piloting a tandem glider on Mount Woodside near Agassiz when Godinez started to fall shortly after launch. While Orders struggled to hold on to the young woman, she clutched desperately at the pilot, even grabbing his feet, before she fell.

Her body was found seven hours later in a clearcut, about 20 metres from one of Orders' shoes, after an extensive search .

The Agassiz RCMP and the B.C. Coroner's Service are investigating.

Upper Fraser Valley RCMP Sgt. Mark Pelz said police aren't investigating criminal charges at this time but that they could be forthcoming, along with potential implications for a civil suit.

"This is an absolutely tragic accident, there are really no other words to describe it," Hollingsworth said.

"What exactly happened as far as why she fell is still under investigation and we are hoping the investigation will answer that question as well as other questions we all may have."

The accident was a tragic end to what was an anniversary present to Godinez from her boyfriend, who was filming her as she started her inaugural flight.

Michelle Nilson, a Simon Fraser University professor who had worked and socialized with Godinez, said days before the flight the young woman had posted on her Facebook site: "We're going hang-gliding."

"For it to end like this ...," Nil-son said in an interview. "No matter who would have been in this accident, it would have been tragic. But it's especially tragic because of who Lenami was. She was such a diplomatic, sweet and amazing person to work with.

"With her there were so many ways in which that came through."

Nilson said she didn't know Godinez well, but noted the young woman's quick smile, comforting nature and generous spirit drew people to her.

When Godinez, who had worked as an assistant at SFU, left to take a job as a communications specialist at the 2010 Olympics, her co-workers threw her a party - something that is rarely done.

"She was one of the few people we celebrated," Nilson said. "It was really such an honour to work with her.

"She made people feel comfortable in a way that was quite rare."

A Facebook memorial site set up in Godinez's memory reflects similar sentiments.

Godinez, who was originally from Mexico but had lived the past nine years in Vancouver, was described by friends and co-workers as a warm, thoughtful and adventurous young woman, who loved the outdoors and the environment.

Godinez's last job was as section head of administrative services for the South Coast Region at B.C.'s Ministry of Environment.

"Lenami - although the time that we knew each other was relatively short, I feel blessed to have known your kind heart, pure soul and deep passion for environmental change," wrote Alina Cheng. "May your spirit soar and serve as a guiding light for others to follow."

Source: http://www.vancouversun.com

No comments:

Post a Comment