Scott Leo Bennett, M.D. b. 05 Oct 1965 , Utah, Utah d. 12 Jan 2008 Afton, Lincoln, Wyoming: Lineagekeeper's Genealogy

Three snowmobiling fatalities over the weekend

By Dan Dockstader on Jan 14, 2008

Funeral services will be held this week for three Star Valley snowmobilers who were killed in a massive avalanche on Saturday.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Alan Jensen, 55, Kim Steed, 51, and Dr. Scott Bennett, 42, all residents of the Smoot area, were trapped and died in an avalanche in the Cottonwood Lake area of the Bridger Teton National Forest.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office received a call from a snowmobiler in the Cottonwood area that three snowmobilers were trapped in an avalanche.

Star Valley Search & Rescue and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. A search was conducted of the slide area and all three victims were found. Two of the three victims were wearing beacons which assisted in the recovery. The avalanche was estimated to travel a half-mile from the top of a ravine and settled in at the bottom of the ravine where it was estimated to be approximately 10 acres wide, with an average depth of 10 feet.

Jensen, Steed and Bennett were all experienced snowmobilers and had snowmobiled in the Cottonwood area on regular basis.

The bodies were transported to Lincoln County Coroner's Office Saturday night. Lincoln County Coroner Mike Richins determined that all three victims died as a result of compression asphyxia.

Funeral services for Alan Jensen will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 16 at noon in the Smoot LDS Church. Viewings will be held Tuesday evening at Schwab Mortuary from 6-8 p.m. and Wednesday from 10:30-11:45 a.m. at the church.

Funeral services for Kim Steed will be held on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 11 a.m. in the Smoot LDS Church. Viewings will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 16 from 6-8 p.m. at the Schwab Mortuary and Thursday from 9-10:45 a.m. at the church.

Funeral services for Dr. Scott Bennett will be held on Friday, Jan. 18 at noon in the Smoot LDS Church. Viewings will be held on Thursday, Jan. 17 from 6-8 p.m. in the Smoot Ward Relief Society Room and Friday from 10-11:45 a.m. prior to the services.

A memorial fund for the families of the men who died has been set up at the Bank of Star Valley.