Runner’s Death Stumps Officials

The cause of death of a Hart High girls’ cross-country runner who died suddenly on a ski vacation last weekend will not be determined for at least six weeks, according to the San Bernardino County coroner’s office.

Shanon Ruge, 17, of Newhall died last Saturday at Big Bear Valley Community Hospital in Big Bear Lake after she sustained an accidental blow to the head about 10 p.m. while with friends at a cabin. She lapsed into unconsciousness about five minutes later and died at 10:59, according to the coroner’s report.

“We’re not sure what the cause of death is yet,” said Dan McRunnel, a coroner’s spokesman.

Ruge, a senior, was spending the weekend with fellow members of a Newhall church, according to Gene Blankenship, Hart’s cross-country coach. After an afternoon of skiing, Ruge was relaxing with friends when she fell unconscious and stopped breathing, Blankenship said.

“The story that has been consistently given is that they were just joking around and she started laughing and rolling around and she just went straight out,” Blankenship said.

Ruge was taken to the hospital where efforts to revive her failed.

Ruge was Hart’s No. 5 runner last fall when the Indians won their seventh consecutive Foothill League title. As a sophomore, Ruge finished second in the league cross-country finals but finished first against Schurr to give the Indians the league dual-meet title.

A memorial service was held Thursday preceding a private burial in Newhall.