Gwyneth Paltrow arrives for second day of ski accident trial

Looking like she means business and dressed in a khaki coat, cream belted cardigan, tan corduroy pants, and gold bracelets, Gwyneth Paltrow was back in court in Park City, Utah, Wednesday for the second day of her trial over a 2016 ski crash.

The Oscar-winning actress could also take the stand, with attorneys for Terry Sanderson, 76, saying they will call the actress today if time permits.

Speaking to DailyMail.com ahead of proceedings, Sanderson said he was feeling confident and was looking forward to seeing the day play out.

Paltrow, 50, appeared upbeat and greeted photographers as she arrived at the courthouse wearing the same sunglasses, shoes, coat, and very similar top as yesterday. 

During a dramatic day of testimony on Tuesday, the prosecution’s star witness Craig Ramon, 48, told the court he had seen Paltrow ‘slam’ into his friend Sanderson before ‘bolting’ away down the mountain.

He added: ‘We were skiing down the run and then I heard this scream. I looked over and I see this skier just slam into the back of Terry.

‘She slammed him. Very hard. She hit him directly in the back. The tips of his skis go out and he goes face down, spread eagled, with Gwyneth on top of him. There was about a second or two.

‘Terry stops, then Gwyneth slid down to the right side. She bounced off of him.’

The Oscar-winner, 50, has claimed she did not hit Sanderson and was instead, the victim of the crash.

During his opening statement, Paltrow’s lawyer Stephen Owens said the star was left bruised and upset by the smash – and screaming ‘what the f***?’ at Sanderson.

But Ramon said she did not say a word following the smash and moved away shortly after getting up – eventually ‘bolting’ down Bandana Mountain.

He also admitted that he did not recognize Paltrow herself and only realized who she was when ski guide Eric Christensen arrived and told him: ‘Your buddy just took out Gwyneth Paltrow!’

He said: ‘When I got there, I was asking Terry, are you ok? His face was down in the snow and he wasn’t moving. 

‘Then Gwyneth gets up and I was asking her if she was ok. I asked if she was ok and she just looked at me. She was standing up, she got up pretty quick.’

Ramon said she was followed down the slope by son Moses, 16, and husband Brad Falchuk, 52, both of whom are due to testify later in the trial.

He said: ‘I was going to go down and check on her and then she bolts – just goes straight down. There’s a guy and a kid with Gwyneth and they stop above Terry – about 20 to 25ft up.

‘Then the adult comes by just giving me a dirty look and then they both took off after Gwyneth.’

Ramon described how Sanderson was left unresponsive following the crash but said Paltrow made no effort to check on him, get help or exchange contact details.

When he did come around, Ramone said he attempted to get Sanderson off the mountain but said the experienced skier was unable to perform even the most basic maneuvers – forcing them to call Ski Patrol for help.

Lawrence Buhler, the lead attorney for Sanderson, opened the trial by telling the jury: ‘Distracted skiers cause crashes. Defendant Gwyneth Paltrow knew that looking up the mountain and up to the side was dangerous.

‘She knew that if she continued to ski that way, if she kept looking up to the side, someone would get seriously hurt. She knew what she was doing was dangerous and she knew it was reckless.’

He added that his client suffered four broken ribs and permanent brain damage following the smash before going on to outline the rules of skiing, including that those taking part in the sport should always yield the right of way to those below and keep their eyes forward.

Sanderson, 76, sued the Oscar-winning actress in January 2019 and alleged she crashed into the back of him and abandoned the scene of the beginner’s run at the exclusive Deer Valley resort in Utah on February 26, 2016.

The retired optometrist sought damages in excess of $3.1 million after the accident left him with a ‘permanent traumatic brain injury, four broken ribs, pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress and disfigurement’. 

However, a judge dismissed his original claim and he is now suing Paltrow for $300,000. Paltrow subsequently filed a counterclaim for $1 and attorney fees.

Today, in the second day of their trial, Sanderson’s lawyers said they expected to call four witnesses, including Wendell Gibby and Sam Goldstein – a radiologist and neuropsychologist – to testify.

They left the possibility that one could be Paltrow, depending on when others expected to testify arrive in Park City. 

During the opening day of the trial yesterday, the court heard that Sanderson had reportedly messaged his daughters following the incident saying ‘I’m famous’.

Paltrow’s attorney Steve Owens showed the jury an email reportedly sent by Sanderson to his daughters after the collision that included a link to a Facebook status that said ‘I’m famous!’

‘He doesn’t post ‘I’m hurt’, he doesn’t post confusing stuff,’ Owens told the court. ‘Gwyneth was hurt by Mr Sanderson’s negligence…she is upset. 

‘Anyone sustaining a blow is upset, she is sore, she never went to a doctor…but it rattled here and it physically hurt her.’

He said that Paltrow had told her daughter that ‘some a-hole’ had run into her and had been ‘mad’ later opting to finish skiing for the day.

Sanderson’s lawyers said they expected to call four witnesses total on Wednesday and left the possibility open that one could be Paltrow, depending on when others expected to testify arrive in Park City.

Gibby and Goldstein have previously appeared as expert witnesses for Sanderson, who has said he broke ribs and sustained brain damage from the crash.

Thus far, attorneys have argued over whether Sanderson’s medical problems stemmed from the crash or were merely a byproduct of ageing.

Both parties blame the other for the collision and claim they were crashed into from behind, relying on a little-known Utah law stipulating that whoever is downhill has the right of way when skiing and snowboarding.