Hang-glider pilot William Jonathan Orders is expected to appear in a Chilliwack courtroom Monday morning to face charges relating to the death of Lenami Godinez-Avila.
Godinez-Avila, 27, died near Agassiz on April 28, 2012, when she fell from a hang-glider being piloted by Orders. As it was the government worker’s first time hang-gliding, she was flying tandem with Orders.
Shortly after launch, at Mt. Woodside, Orders apparently realized something had gone wrong and Godinez was slipping out of her harness.
He was unable to hold onto her, however, and she was unable to hold onto his legs.
The woman came free from the harness and fell about 1,000 ft to her death.
At the scene, Orders swallowed a memory card that was used that day to record the event. He was charged with obstruction of justice for that action, and held in police custody for several days until the card could be retrieved.
Orders now also faces criminal negligence causing death. Following the death, Orders announced that he would not return to hang gliding. While the investigation into Godinez-Avila’s death was completed last year, the results have not yet been released.
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