Federal Authorities Investigating Teton County, Wyo. Helicopter Crash

One day after a devastating helicopter crash in Bridger-Teton National Forest, a community is still in shock as officials from several different agencies scramble for answers.

It all started Wednesday afternoon around 12:30.

The Teton County Sheriff received a call of a snowmobiler separated from his group, about 6.7 miles south of Togwotee Mountain Lodge.

Teton County Sheriff’s Capt. Tripp Wilson said 53-year-old Steven Anderson, visiting from Minnesota, had struck a tree and was pinned under his snowmobile.

Wilson said snowmobile crashes are fairly common, but as rescuers flew in to reach Anderson, things went from bad to worse.

“The helicopter unexpectedly crash-landed,” Wilson said. “The group of snowmobilers just saw it go into a tailspin and then go down below the tree line.”

The sheriff’s department lost contact with the chopper for about 40 minutes, until the pilot finally came through on the radio.

“He was disoriented and injured, and the other two (on the helicopter) were also injured,” Wilson said.

At that point, another helicopter was sent out along with ground crews. It took them nearly two hours to arrive on the scene.

Anderson was pronounced dead.

The pilot of the first helicopter was flown to St. Johns Medical Center in Jackson. A second medic on board, 63-year-old Ray Shriver, died from injuries sustained during the crash.

A veteran EMT of nearly 20 years, flags in Jackson now fly at half-staff for Shriver.

“Obviously it presents a somber environment here in Jackson Hole and the community, due to the fact of this tragic incident,” Wilson said.

A third EMT was also on the chopper that went down. Mike Moyer, 44, was checked out by doctors and is said to be doing just fine.

The pilot, Ken Johnson, 62, was released from the hospital Friday.

The wreckage remains at the scene, while the FAA and NTSB are trying to figure out what caused the crash.