In 2016 12-year-old J.A. was snowboarding for the first time at Mountain Creek Resort, when he slipped on an ice patch and slid into R.B., a young child on the bunny slope. J.A. was in shock after striking the child and his immediate thought was to get up to make sure R.B. was ok. As J.A. went to stand, he was struck by an adult skier from behind. According to J.A., the adult man stabbed him on his abdomen with the pointed end of his ski pole. The adult man then proceeded to punch J.A. in the face multiple times. J.A. sustained a rib contusion, head injuries, bloody lip and bruising all over his body. The adult man is Samuel Caruthers, father of R.B., the young child J.A. slid into on the mountain.
Samuel Caruthers saw J.A. run into his son and reacted in a fit of rage, according to Prosecutor Donald Cox. Caruthers appeared in court in March 2019. He was indicted by a Sussex County grand jury in 2016 and faced charges that included two counts of third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and third degree endangering the welfare of a child. He would face up to 33 years in prison if convicted.
The jury found Caruthers guilty of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault, a disorderly offense and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. Caruthers could face up to 7 years in prison.