TikTok shows skier beating seatmate on chair lift, cops say. Florida tourist arrested
A video shows a skier assaulting his seatmate on a chair lift in Utah before he was arrested for the violent altercation, police told news outlets.
The confrontation happened Dec. 26 at the Park City Mountain Resort, located east of Salt Lake City, according to KSL. TikTok user @kaelynfaria posted footage of the fight on Dec. 31, and it quickly went viral.
“Fist fight on ski lift 50 feet in the air,” text over the video states, along with a presumably sarcastic smiling emoji.
As the video starts, spectators are heard gasping and shouting at the men to stop. The shaky clip shows the accused assailant verbally and physically assaulting the man next to him in the chair.
“You going to elbow me in my [expletive] face?!” he yells at the victim. The video shows him throw what looks like a punch in his seatmate’s direction.
A spokeseperson for Park City Mountain Resort confirmed the altercation to McClatchy News via email.
The guests were riding the Saddleback chairlift during the altercation, and someone alerted patrol before they got to the top of the terminal, the statement says. Patrol called Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
“Safety is our highest priority, and we do not condone violence of any kind at Park City Mountain,” the statement says.
After a TikTok user asked for “part 2,” the original user posted a video showing them reach the top of the mountain, where ski patrol was waiting for them.
“Ok so this guy was beating the crap out of this guy right there on that lift, and I think they’re gonna arrest the guy. We’ll find out,” someone on the chairlift says in the video.
In the video, the man later arrested in the assault, who is reportedly a 39-year-old from Lutz, Florida, can be heard explaining to ski patrol that the other man elbowed him in the face. Those recording question whether his accusation is true, commenting that they never saw the other man elbow him.
The victim, a 52-year-old man also from Florida, denied he elbowed the other man in the face, Park City-based outlet Town Lift reported. He was not charged.
The man seen punching the 52-year-old was arrested and faces misdemeanor charges for assault and disorderly conduct, KSL.com reported. He was charged Jan. 4 in Summit County Justice Court.
This story was originally published January 11, 2023 at 12:56 PM.
