An extreme sports and MTV star skydiving for the opening ceremony of a golf event in Squaw Valley died when he struck a tree Monday, authorities said. 
 
 Placer County Sheriff's Capt. Dennis Walsh said Erik Roner of Tahoe City died during a skydiving accident at a golf course about 5 miles from Lake Tahoe's northwest shore. 
 
 Witnesses told deputies Roner, 39, was part of a group conducting a skydiving performance for a golf event, when he hit a tree while trying to land and became entangled high above ground, Walsh said. 
 
 Friend Roy Tuscany watched as two other parachutists landed safely on the golf course's fairway for the 9th hole but then looked on in horror when Roner slammed hard into a tree about 25-30 feet above the ground. 
 
 
 
 
 
 "He came into the tree with a lot of speed and that was the devastating factor," Tuscany said. "It was just disbelief, that's the only thing I can say, it's just something that you don't ever expect." 
 
 Authorities were not able to remove him from the tree and Roner was pronounced dead at the scene. 
 
 All the other skydivers landed safely. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Walsh said the investigation is continuing and the Federal Aviation Administration has been notified. 
 
 Roner, a professional skier and avid BASE jumper was known for being part of the Nitro Circus, an MTV show centered around freestyle motocross rider Travis Pastrana and his crew of extreme sports athlete friends. 
 
 With sad hearts we announce the tragic death of Erik Roner. We love & miss you already Erik. http://t.co/PKhCFy1X29 pic.twitter.com/FpE6aRoOTk — Nitro Circus (@NitroCircus) September 29, 2015 
 
 
 
 
 
 "He was really our safety guy on set, the person that we trusted the most to give us a fair assessment of what the risks were," Pastrana said. "Someone who was willing to take those risks but also someone that was going to lay it on the line and not sugar coat it." 
 
 Given Roner's attention to safety, Pastrana said he was stunned to learn of Roner's death. 
 
 "Erik was an amazing person who made everyone and everything around him better," Pastrana said. 
 
 The incident occurred right before the 4th Annual Squaw Valley Institute Celebrity Golf Tournament. Roner was set to be a celebrity golfer in the event. 
 
 Tuscany said Roner's parachute got caught in the tree and Roner dangled there while many on the ground scrambled to find ladders and other means to get to him. At one point, several people attempted to stand on one another's shoulder to reach him. 
 
 "There's no protocol for this kind of rescue," Tuscany said. "There's no manual. It was just horrible." 
 
 Tuscany described his friend Roner as "always positive" and a "big supporter" of the local community. 
 
 He said Roner was "hilarious and was a "stand-up guy" who could always be counted on to help out with benefit events like the golf tournament sponsored by the Squaw Valley Institute, a nonprofit organization that describes itself as being "dedicated to presenting enriching and inspirational programs to the Lake Tahoe region." 
 
 In addition to his role with Nitro Circus, Roner also hosted the TV show "Locals" on sports network Outside Television. 
 
 "We are still trying to process this tragedy," said Rob Faris, senior VP, programming and production at Outside Television. "Our hearts go out to his family." 
 
 Outside Television will air "Locals" from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. EDT Tuesday. 
 
 Roner's death comes four months after world-famous wingsuit flyer Dean Potter and fellow adventurer Graham Hunt fatally crashed after the pair leaped from Taft Point, 3,500-feet above Yosemite Valley, attempting to clear a V-shaped notch in a ridgeline. 
 
 Roner is survived by his wife and two children. 
 
 KCRA 3's Tom Miller contributed to this report. 

 SAN FRANCISCO — An extreme sports and MTV star skydiving for the opening ceremony of a golf event in Northern California died when he struck a tree Monday, authorities said. 
 
 Placer County Sheriff's Capt. Dennis Walsh said Erik Roner of Tahoe City, Calif., died during a skydiving accident at a golf course in Squaw Valley. 
 
 Witnesses told deputies Roner, 39, was part of a group conducting a skydiving performance for a golf event, when he hit a tree while trying to land and became entangled high above ground, Walsh said. 
 
 Authorities were not able to remove him from the tree and Roner was pronounced dead at the scene. 
 
 All the other skydivers landed safely, he said. 
 
 Walsh said the investigation is continuing and the Federal Aviation Administration has been notified. 
 
 Roner was known for being part of the Nitro Circus, an MTV show centered around freestyle motocross rider Travis Pastrana and his crew of extreme sports athlete friends. He also hosted TV show Locals on sports network Outside Television. 
 
 Roy Tuscany, a friend of Roner, who witnessed the accident said it occurred right before a celebrity golf tournament was about to begin Monday morning. 
 
 Tuscany said that he watched as two other parachutists landed safely on the golf course's fairway for the 9th hole but then looked on in horror when Roner slammed hard into a tree about 25-30 feet above the ground. 
 
 He said Roner's parachute got caught in the tree and Roner dangled there while many on the ground scrambled to find ladders and other means to get to Roner. At one point, several people attempted to stand on one another's shoulder to reach Roner. 
 
 "There's no protocol for this kind of rescue," Tuscany said. "There's no manual. It was just horrible." 
 
 Tuscany described his friend Roner as "always positive" and a "big supporter" of the local community. 
 
 He said Kroner was "hilarious and was a "stand-up guy" who could always be counted on to help out with benefit events like the golf tournament sponsored by the Squaw Valley Institute, a nonprofit organization that describes itself as being "dedicated to presenting enriching and inspirational programs to the Lake Tahoe region." 
 
 "We are still trying to process this tragedy," said Rob Faris, senior VP, programming and production at Outside Television. "Our hearts go out to his family." 
 
 Outside Television will air Locals from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. EDT Tuesday. 
 
 Roner's death comes four months after world-famous wingsuit flyer Dean Potter and fellow adventurer Graham Hunt fatally crashed after the pair leaped from Taft Point, 3,500-feet above Yosemite Valley, attempting to clear a V-shaped notch in a ridgeline. 
 
 
 

– The world of extreme sports is mourning yet another star killed doing what he loved best. Erik Roner made his name as a ski BASE jumper, but his final stunt was a skydive at a golf course at the Squaw Valley resort in Lake Tahoe, Calif., reports the Dallas Morning News. Witnesses say the 39-year-old member of MTV's Nitro Circus team hit a tree while trying to land during a performance with three other skydivers Monday. His friend Roy Tuscany says he watched in horror as Roner slammed into the tree about 30 feet above the ground. He says people tried to stand on each other's shoulders to rescue him. "There's no protocol for this kind of rescue," Tuscany tells the Morning News. "There's no manual. It was just horrible." Roner was pronounced dead at the scene. Nitro Circus star Travis Pastrana tells KCRA that he's stunned by the accident, especially since Roner, who joined the crew after helping them BASE jump dirt bikes into the Grand Canyon, was known as the "safety guy" on set. Roner is survived by his wife and two young children. "Erik was an amazing person who made everyone and everything around him better," Pastrana said in a statement. "His smile, laughter, and personality will be missed by everyone at Nitro Circus. Most importantly he has a beautiful wife and amazing kids that will miss him dearly. He is gone ... But will never be forgotten." (In May, BASE jumping legend Dean Potter and another man died while attempting a wingsuit flight in Yosemite National Park.)