Judge denies gag order in ski collision lawsuit

A U.S. district court judge denied a gag order request that would have banned the parents of an 8-year-old boy from talking to the media about a lawsuit stemming from a ski collision near Denver.

Judge Michael J. Watanabe denied 60-year-old David Pfahler’s request to prevent Scott Swimm’s parents from talking about the case with the media, or to anyone who would talk with the media.

Watanabe reasoned that since the case has only received minor coverage, jurors are not likely to be influenced one way or the other.

Pfahler filed suit after the boy ran and injured his shoulder while skiing at Arrowhead Mountain in Colorado in January 2007.