Steamboat Pilot & Today

Olympic silver medallist Travis Mayer has been cited for failing to yield the right of way in an auto accident that killed another driver in upstate New York last week.

Mayer, who lives and trains in Steamboat Springs and is a member of the U.S. Ski Team, was unhurt in the accident that killed 44-year-old Diane Hamblin of Arcade, N.Y.

The Buffalo News reported tha t Mayer was cited for running a stop sign in the June 21 accident in the town of Wales, 19 miles southeast of Buffalo, N.Y.

The newspaper wrote that after reportedly failing to stop at the stop sign, Mayer's vehicle struck the driver's door of the vehicle driven by Hamblin.

Both cars went into a nearby field, where Mayer's vehicle severed a telephone pole.

Hamblin was taken to the Erie County Medical Center, where she died.

The newspaper reported that authorities were expected to confer with the Erie County District Attorney's Office about any additional charges. That's considered standard procedure in any fatal accident where a traffic citation has been issued.

According to the Buffalo News story, Dennis Rankin, chief of police services for the sheriff's department, said there was no alcohol involved and that Mayer was not traveling extremely fast.

Mayer was a member of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club before earning a position with the U.S. Ski Team five years ago.

He skipped most of the 2004 season to further his Ivy League studies at Cornell, but he returned last year with several strong early season finishes.

Mayer won the first World Cup of his career last January in Lake Placid, N.Y., and is considered a contender for an Olympic team spot in Italy in 2006.

An official at the Erie County Dist--rict Attorney's Office could not say Monday night whether additional charges would be filed.