‘Mountain claim orth Van teen Climber swept away by avalanche on Mount Robson Wednesday By lan Noble News Reporter AN Argyle grad dicd Wednesday pur- suing his passion on the highest moun- tain in the Canadian Rockies. Valemount RCMP Set. Julio Krenz said Roger Ament, 18, of North Vancouver died when a snow and ice avalanche swept him into a nine- metre (30-foot) crevasse. Ament started the climb up 3,954-metre (12,972-foort) Mount Robson with four others Tuesday. Two of them, Peter Watson and Klarko Buchar, were Asnent’s friends from North Vancouver. Krenz said rescuers believe the five climbers did everything right in their attempt to scale Mount Robson. “Even the best climbers wouldn’t have done anything differently,” said Krenz. “It’s just one of those things. He got into where the weather sets in, He sets up as best he can. “Unfortunately, nature took its course and the mountain is unforgiving. They didn’t have a chance.” Krenz said cloud, wind and rain rolled in while Bill Munroe hit ! Ament died Wednesday int Robson. CLIMBER R while scaling the five climbed the mountain Tuesday. Three climbers settied down for the night in a tent while Ament and one other climber slept ont- side. The avalanche steuck at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday, \ pushing Ament into che crevasse, said Kreme, “The other ones were lucky and rode the avalanche out,” said Krena. The survivors climbed back up the slide und searched for Ament: before hiking down the mountain, where they notified authorities of Ament’s disappearance, AcS p.m, rescuers found Ament's body at the bottom of the crevasse. Ament's father, Walter Ament, told the News that Roger graduated from Argyle secondary in 1996. Roger's climbing career included many cours- es and progression from easier peaks such as Mount Seymour to more difficult mountains, Roger has climbed Mount Rainier, This week's climb on Robson was Roger's second after a failed attempt last year, “He had all the right equipment. The other four are fine, It’s just unfortunate he got hit,” said Walter Ament. “He had lots of friends, He was very well-liked and never got into trouble, He was a terrific son and a terrific brother to Jessica.” His co-workers at Coast Mountain Sports in Park Royal are devastated by Ament’s death, said store manager Kevin Shea. “He had many friends at Coast Mountain, Roger will be remembered as someone who gave 100% to everything he did.” “We'll all miss his quick wit and friendly atti- tude.” Shea said Ament was an ardent outdoor enthusiast who seemed to like nothing better on his days off than going into the mountains. Indians coach dies at game _by heart attack at lacrosse arena | By Robert Galster News Reporter . robert@nsnews.com ' CURT Malawsky’s overtime goal in the dying, seconds of - ‘Tuesday’s North Shore " Indians game turned out to be the last goal Bill Munroe would ever sce. The first-year coach of the Indians * collapsed shortly after the game and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital in Maple Ridge where the game was played. The cause of death was a massive heart attack. “Just after we scored with five sec- ‘onds io go in overtime as we were shaking hands with (goaltender) Dwight (Maciche) we looked back and there was a bit of a commotion at « the bench,” recalled a shaken John °, Rosa the next day. “We thought °] imaybe there was a fight.”, Indians president Wayne Baker was behind the bench at the end of BILL. Munroe hams it up with players Brian Gaker (loft) and Jeff Gombar during a practice eartier the game and saw Munroe collapse at its dramatic conclusion. =“T looked at him and I could tell it was bad right there, he might have been dead right there,” said Baker, “It was awful, his whole family was there * too.” Although this year’s stint with the Indians was Munsoe’s «first, his involvement with the game stretches back more than 40 years. He started playing at the age of 10 and finished his playing career with the Victoria Shamrocks. Munroe then embarked on a coaching career that included winning, the Minto Cup in 1976 and the Mann Cup in 1979. He made two more trips to the Mann Cup while coaching the New Westminster Salmonbellies in 1994 and 1995. Munroe is survived by his wife Marilyn, three daughters and two grandchildren, All were present at Tuescay’s game and sat directly behind the Indians bench. “Because of the glass I couldn’t get down and when I did { couldn’t get close to him because they were working on him,” said Marilyn. She was informed of his fate upon arrival at the hospital. A memorial service is planned for 1:30 p.m. on Monday, July 14 ac Maple Ridge Baptist Church, 222 Lougheed Highway. A wake will be held the same day from 3:45 to 7:15 p.m. at Pitt Meadows Recreation Halt, 12460 Harris Rd. As for the Indians, the season from hell contin- ues with things turning from bad to worse. Earlier this month, the Indians were penalized 10 points in the standings for using an ineligible player. The move dropped the league-leading squad from first to fifth place in the six-team Western this season. He died suddenly last Tuesday behind the Indians bench at age 54. Lacrosse Association standings. However, the team persevered and following Tuesday’s win was tied for third place and, more importandy, in a playoff spor. But it was a matter of seconds before the thrill of the triumph would be wiped from the players’ minds with Munroe’s sudden death, President Baker said he'll likely step in and take over the coaching duties of the club together with current assistant coach Rick Ornar. “Jesus, thinking about this season you could almost make a movie our of this,” said Baker. Wednesday’s game against the Coquitlam Adanacs was cancelled and will be made up on Tuesday, july 22 at Lonsdale Arena. Game time is 8 p.m, A team meeting was scheduled instead. “We're all adults and everyone understands it’s part of life and we have to go on,” said Rosa. Friday, July 11, 1997 -- Norlh Shore News ~ 3 WV claims fatal crash accidenial From page \ “The lawsuit clsims the manici- pality failed to act on a staff ree- ommendation to close steep hills such as 22nd Street. The munici- pality, che lavestait states, knew or ought to have known that this would likely lead to further loss of life, limb and property. West Vancouver municipality denies any responsibility for the horrific crash, ln his defence statement, the lawyer for West Vancouver munic- ipality, Darcie A. Laurient, said the accident: was “totally accidental and unforeseeable in nature or was caused of contributed to by the negligence of the deceased.” The snunicipality’s starement went on to say that Bjornson’s negligence included: @ Failing to keep or maintain any lookout’ when crossing 22nd Street; @ Failing to take any reasonable precautions for his own safecy; ® Failing to take evasive action when he knew or ought to have known that the dump truck was not stopping for the red light. Meanwhile, tickets were given yesterday to a dump truck driver involved in the most recent run- away crash on the North Shore. On June 24, Rajinder Kumar Dewat, 31, of Vancouver, lost control of his dump truck on Mountain Highway in Upper Lynn Valley. The truck, with apparently malfunctioning, brakes, picked up speed as it went down the steep hill and through a green fight at the Keith Road intersec- tion near the bottom. The truck hit a conerete barrier and tree before rolling over and exploding into flames past the [CBC claims centre at Lyanmouth Avenue. Dewat was charged under the Motor Vehicle Act with having a vehicle with improper brake per formance and making false or deceptive inspection reports. The brake charge carries a $1,035 fine and the inspection reports rap car- rics a $575 fine. Dewat sustained minor injuries in the crash. Police said it was for- ‘funate no one was killed. Since 1990, five people have been killed on the North Shore by runaway commercial rigs and dump trucks. The province has recently increased fines for com- mercial truck drivers caught with faulty brakes. * Fault denied From page \ Bjornsons allege that Khasa drove too fast, overloaded his truck, and failed to ensure his truck’s brakes were working properly. The statement of claim described Khosa as an “incompetent, careless person.” Sull, Khosa’s employers, the Manns of Surrey, knowingly allowed Khosa to operate ‘the truck, state the Bjornsons. In countering the allega- tions, Alison L. Murray, the lawyer for Khosa and the Manns, states that Bjornson was negligent by: Mi failing to keep a proper look- out; @ walking or running into the vehicle’s path when there was not time or room to cross in front of it sately; @ failing to see the vehicle, or alternatively, seeing the vehicle and walking, running or stand- ing in its line of travel; Mi failing to take reasonable pre- cautions for his own safety.