A snowboarder who allegedly went into a closed area of the Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and caused an avalanche may face charges.The Placer County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday that investigators have referred the matter to the district attorney’s office for possible prosecution.“Normally, when skiers or riders choose to enter into a closed area, resort management will pull the skier’s pass for a duration of time, ban the skier for the remainder of the season or, if serious enough, for multiple seasons,” Sugar Bowl said in a news release.In the written statement, the resort identified the snowboarder as Christian Michael Mares and said he was trespassing in an area that hasn’t been open to the public in five years.“(Christian Michael Mares) is not a Sugar Bowl season pass holder and given the magnitude and severity of this situation, and the fact that patrol, staff and public were put at serious risk from Mares’ decisions and actions, Sugar Bowl has now turned this incident over to the Placer County Sheriff’s Department for prosecution under California Penal Code 602(r), which refers to trespassing into a closed area of a ski resort,” the resort continued in the statement.A sheriff's spokesperson indicated that a video posted on YouTube and elsewhere online appears to show the incident.Mares did not return requests for comment Wednesday.

A snowboarder who allegedly went into a closed area of the Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and caused an avalanche may face charges.

The Placer County Sheriff’s Department said Wednesday that investigators have referred the matter to the district attorney’s office for possible prosecution.


“Normally, when skiers or riders choose to enter into a closed area, resort management will pull the skier’s pass for a duration of time, ban the skier for the remainder of the season or, if serious enough, for multiple seasons,” Sugar Bowl said in a news release.

In the written statement, the resort identified the snowboarder as Christian Michael Mares and said he was trespassing in an area that hasn’t been open to the public in five years.

“(Christian Michael Mares) is not a Sugar Bowl season pass holder and given the magnitude and severity of this situation, and the fact that patrol, staff and public were put at serious risk from Mares’ decisions and actions, Sugar Bowl has now turned this incident over to the Placer County Sheriff’s Department for prosecution under California Penal Code 602(r), which refers to trespassing into a closed area of a ski resort,” the resort continued in the statement.

A sheriff's spokesperson indicated that a video posted on YouTube and elsewhere online appears to show the incident.

Mares did not return requests for comment Wednesday.