Canadian Dies After Fiery Summer Snowmobile Stunt

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - A Canadian man who tried to drive his snowmobile through a ball of flames during a drunken summer party has died of his injuries, police said on Tuesday.

Josh Chapman was severely burned in the July 20 incident in Squamish, British Columbia.

Witnesses told police the 23-year-old from Whistler, British Columbia, near Vancouver, rode the snowmobile in a "wheelie" down a paved public street and attempt to drive it through a gasoline fire at the end of the run.

Local media reported Chapman's stunt was also being recorded for use in a video of extreme sports events.

Chapman had been hospitalized in critical condition since attempting the stunt and died on Monday. No criminal charges have been filed, but the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the incident was still under investigation.

I'm sure the media was all over that one.Just another strike against us sled heads.

I wonder if he was on a Firecat. *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

more bad publicity. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

I heard he was on a MXZ. *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

With friends like this, who needs enemies http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

Hey, i want to see that wheelie down the street!! http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif
Caleb

P.S. Nature has it's own population control for morons!

Watch it Caleb, I'm sure all of us could have been considered a moron sometime in our lives! *I'm glad he hasn't taken me out because I did something moronic in my past.

Just kidding *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

one more strike against the snowmobile community. *Drunken snowmobilers!!! *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/devil.gif

Can imagine were this will go *http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

It's a shame the guy died and that we now have more bad publicity. *Bad pun, but it's just more fuel for their fire. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif
BUT! We can point fingers at this guy and blame it on drinking and doing something stupid, but we also have to realise that for all we know they could have been taping for Sled Necks 5 or something. *Who buys those videos? *It sure isn't the people pointing fingers at sled heads accept maybe to prove how insane and unsafe the sport is. *Most all of us know better than to go out and try those stunts, but it is us the sledders that want to see the extreme sled movies and encourage them being made. Its the rejects that go out and try to duplicate it that give us all a bad name. *So who is to blame?? *Think about it. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

I wanna know how he managed to get so burned. *Did he fall off right in the fire?

Read my "Stupidity" post in Chit Chat. There are some more details.

That is prety bad all he was doingwas trying to have a little fun. Sucks the way things end sometimes.

REST IN PEACE SLED HEAD

maybe we could start another heading for stupidity?http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif?http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

atleast he didn't involve any passengers in his mistake,

huh huh, passengers

Well...I'm probably gonna get flamed for this but, serves him right! It was his own choice to try and do somthing that stupid just to get on tape and brag about and show off. Nobody made him do it. You bring bad things upon yourself, and other people. What if when that wreck happend the flaming tumbling wreck flew into some bystanders and a 9 year old child got hurt or even worse. COSTvsREWARD folks! Oviously he thought it was more important to have a video of himself doing a wheely through fire then to ever see girlfreind/wife/kids/ if he had any or the first ride in the first snowfall of the year or the site of the woods glistening white with fresh powder covering everything in the middle of the trail. Yes it's sad a life has been lost and many people will miss and mourn him but I think this is good because now he is unable to maybee accidentally take the life of someone else also while doing stuppid stunts. When you have nothing to live for you'll die for anything. There are more important things in life then a dangerous stunt. Find them. It's the greatest challenge you'll ever concour. Not a long jump or a flaming wheely.

Please think first, you could ruin other peoples lives too.

Which one are you Performancex? http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

00EFI600ZR, obviously at his age (23) he didn't seem to care he had more to live for. What if the fire had flared back to the other idiot pouring the gas? You feel sorry for his family, but that's about it. I've said it before & I'll say it again I have no sympathy for people who get boozed up, take off for home in the middle of the night & hit a vehicle, mailbox, dock, rock, etc.

The only result of all this is that the snowmobiling community gets labelled as a bunch of morons.

HERE HERE

http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/withstupid.gif *Very true! *It only takes a few "misshaps" to make us all look bad... http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

I'm glad you guys are agreeing with me. It's good to people that think logically not emotionally. There is a difference between racing/goin fast and reckless/trying to cheat death. May you all have a safe,fun, and early riding season this year. Have fun, not regrets. http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

there is no reason why thease guys have to go into small town bars and get pissed up and ride all over the place and get de-capitade and stuff. That has happened around here a few times where a guy goes under a bridge to high and takes his head right off. NO Excuse for that.

I like that new MN law were after 3 DUIs it becomes a felony. *That might help some and hopefully more states pick up on it. *There have been a few guys around here that have ran into hay bales and culverts because they were drunk. *I always worry about meeting one of them on the trail.

SQUAMISH, B.C. - A 23-year-old man who was severely burned during a snowmobiling stunt has died in hospital.

Josh Chapman of Squamish was injured while riding a snowmobile through a gasoline-fuelled fire on a public street in the town's business park on July 20.

The stunt was being staged for an extreme sports video, and the horrifying mishap was witnessed by more than 60 people attending a boozy street party.

Chapman was rushed to hospital in critical condition with fourth-degree burns to most of his body, and chances of recovery were considered slim.

Chapman died at Vancouver General Hospital Monday evening.

Police continue to investigate what went wrong.

Suprisingly the sled doesn't look like it's in all that bad of shape considering... * * http://www.snowmobileworld-s2.com/forums/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

I figured it would be a real Crispy Critter.

A new hood and she's ready for the next ride.
Caleb

Obviously what ever he was wearing at the time was highly flammable.

I doubt that he had much on. They said that more gas was thrown on the flames and him as he passed through. That would cause a death. Burns are bad like this guy recieved as al the skin was gone and then the infections start and let's not forget the cardiac and respitory problems.
Caleb

everyday i do something stupid and i thank GOD for leaving me here on earth to enjoy my family and friends. but to do something as Josh Chapman did he must have been under the influence of something that clouded his common sense, what about the people around him ? was there no one with enough common sense to try and stop him ?

He'd been drinking, right? *And we all know how well alcohol burns..