The man accused of pushing a snowboarder off an Aspen Highlands chairlift in January was found not guilty on Monday.
Sherry A. Caloia, 9th Judicial District Attorney, said was ordered by a judge to be placed into the custody of the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo.
“He will be evaluated by them and when and if he is found to be sane he may be released,” Coloia said.
Proesel, a 32-year-old skier, pushed snowboarder Seth Beckton off the Loge Peak lift on a powdery Jan. 17 at Aspen Highlands, .
Beckton said in a Facebook post after the encounter that he was pushed from the chairlift after making a comment to the effect of: “To get (chest) deep pow shots you just need to be on your edges.”
Authorities linked Proesel to the case after reviewing surveillance camera footage from the ski area and through interviews with Beckton, . A state psychiatrist found Proesel, who was accused of first-degree assault, legally insane.
“Itap clear from (the psychologistap) report that Mr. Proesel was, at the time of the incident, experiencing a mental state that rendered him incapable of forming the culpable mental state (to commit attempted first-degree assault),” District Judge Chris Seldin said Monday, .
Proesel, when asked about the incident by investigators, made nonsensical remarks to investigators and referenced terrorism, according to the warrant.
“I’m just scared,” Proesel told authorities, according to court records. “I don’t know what is going on.”
