Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 03/05) - The family of a snowmobiler who died after crashing into a snowbank while high on marijuana has launched a multi-million lawsuit against the city of Yellowknife and two spring-time festivals.

Jason Christensen died March 29, 2003 after plowing into snowbank on Frame Lake built for dogsled races organized by the Canadian Championship Dog Derby. The races were held in conjunction with Caribou Carnival, the largest springtime festival in the territories.

The coroner estimated Christensen, who minutes earlier shared a joint with friends, was travelling between 80km/hour and 100km/hour.

In court papers filed this spring, his relatives blamed the city and festival organizers for not properly marking the dogsled trail, which snaked along Frame Lake, Back Bay and Yellowknife Bay.

They also named several paramedics in the lawsuit, claiming they did not respond quickly enough and failed to treat Christensen properly.

"The plaintiffs were deprived of (his) care, love, guidance, support and friendship," they wrote in court documents. The family is seeking more than $2 million.

Championship Dog Derby president Kevin Rowe said the course was clearly marked and in more than 50 years of racing, this was the first accident involving a snowmobiler.

"It is really unfortunate that this happened, Rowe said last week. "But speed and an intoxicating substance... were important factors."

The lawsuit was launched by Christensen's former common-law wife Tasha Riffel and his parents. Riffel and Christensen, who was 21 when he died, have a three-year-old son. Attempts to contact Riffel were unsuccessful.

Carol Van Tighem, co-ordinator for Caribou Carnival, said Monday she was not aware of the lawsuit, which was filed in May.

Yellowknife mayor Gordon Van Tighem did not return a phone message seeking comment. Officials from the Yellowknife Fire Department were not immediately available for an interview.