Snowmobiler who crashed into parked Black Hawk helicopter awarded $3 million

A judge ruled that the federal government was mostly responsible for a nighttime collision that nearly killed a snowmobiler who struck a Black Hawk helicopter that was parked on a Massachusetts trail. 

U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni blamed both parties for the March 2019 crash in his ruling Monday, but said the government was 60% responsible for parking the helicopter on a snowmobile trail. He criticized snowmobiler Jeff Smith for not operating the craft safely, for speeding and for wearing tinted goggles, but awarded him $3.3 million in damages. 

Smith, a Massachusetts lawyer, had asked for $9.5 million in damages to cover his medical expenses and lost wages and to hold the military responsible for the crash.