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.
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.
