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Skier who died after crashing into a tree on Wachusett Mountain identified

Ski patrol workers provided first aid on the mountain, but the skier was pronounced dead when they reached the bottom.

A skier died after crashing into a tree on Wachusett Mountain Monday. Jim Davis/The Boston Globe

March 22, 2023

The man who died in a skiing accident on Wachusett Mountain Monday has been identified as 67-year-old Shrewsbury resident John Lapato.

The Worcester County District Attorney’s Office identified Lapato Wednesday, two days after the Princeton ski resort reported that he died after crashing into a tree on the side of the mountain.

Wachusett Mountain said previously that ski patrol workers responded to Lapato’s accident around 9:25 a.m. Monday. They provided emergency care at the site of the crash, but Lapato was pronounced dead when they reached the bottom of the mountain.

“The entire Wachusett family is grieving this tragic loss,” Wachusett Mountain officials said Monday. “All of our thoughts are with the skier’s family and friends.”