In one week, several snowmobile crashes across the state resulted in injuries and one death. Some incidents remain under investigation.

Jan. 5

A Long Pond man died Jan. 5 in Maine’s first fatal snowmobile crash this season. Bryan Sylvester, 57, left on snowmobile from his Long Pond Road home, near Jackman, for a snowmobile ride at approximately 2 p.m. Game wardens said that Sylvester had driven about one-and a-half miles from his home onto Long Pond near the confluence of Parlin Stream, where it appears he struck a large snow drift. Sylvester was killed when he was ejected from his snowmobile onto an uneven ice surface, according to a news release from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

A search of the area resulted in game wardens locating Sylvester’s body at 7:45 p.m. Sylvester had been riding alone and was operating without a helmet on his 2008 Ski Doo MXZ 600. Bryan Sylvester worked for the Maine Department of Transportation. Jackman Fire and Ambulance assisted with this incident.

Jan. 11

A Rhode Island man was injured Jan. 11 in a snowmobile crash in Northern Franklin County. John Paquin, 57, from Kingstown, Rhode Island, was snowmobiling with a group that started in the Rangeley area. The group was headed toward the town of Stratton for a late lunch. Paquin was riding alone on a borrowed 2012 Polaris snowmobile.

Paquin failed to negotiate a curve in the trail which resulted in him losing control and striking a rock. He was thrown from the snowmobile and sustained serious injuries to his hip and pelvis. Paquin was able to operate the snowmobile to Route 16 with the assistance of friends. The Maine Warden Service was notified about the crash and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office also responded to assist. Paquin was transported to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington by NorthStar Ambulance for evaluation. Game wardens say rider inexperience appears to have contributed to this incident, a release said.

Another crash

Also on Jan. 11, a complex snowmobile crash took place on Interconnecting Trail Systems (ITS) 85 and 86 in T2R7 WELS, otherwise known as Soldiertown Township. At about 11 a.m., two snowmobiles operating in opposite directions collided nearly head-on when negotiating a turn on the ITS trail.

The initial crash involved two snowmobiles. A male, 15, of Lancaster, Massachusetts, was operating north on a Polaris 550 IQ when he collided with Michael Byram, 46, of Hermon. Byram was operating a Ski Doo Renegade 800. The teen sustained a broken arm and possible concussion. Byram sustained a broken collar bone and shoulder.

The teen was with several other riders, who were behind him. Two of them collided with trees while trying to avoid the initial crash. Those two riders were a father and son, Robert Buzak, 49, and his son, 14, both of Ayer, Massachusetts. Robert sustained minor injuries, his son suffered a broken shoulder and possible back injuries. Robert was operating a Ski Doo Renegade; his son was on a Ski Doo MXZ.

Two other riders who had avoided the crash drove to gain cell phone reception and call for help.

A signal was soon found and help responded from both Patten Ambulance and the Maine Warden Service.  Due to the remote location, it took nearly an hour-and-a-half for both Patten Ambulance members and game wardens to snowmobile 10 miles to the scene of the crash. Patten Ambulance used their rescue-boggan sled to transport the injured riders out of the woods. An awaiting ambulance then took those injured to Millinocket Hospital. Michael Byram has been taken out separately by snowmobile as he had begun to exhibit signs of hypothermia.

All riders involved were wearing helmets. Speed appears to be a contributing factor in this crash, according to a news release from IF&W. Game wardens don’t believe alcohol was involved.  This incident remains under investigation. 

Moose calf killed in another Jan. 11 crash

A group of three snowmobilers encountered a calf moose while riding in the evening, Jan. 11, west of Greenville on Interconnecting Trail System (ITS) 110. At approximately 6 p.m., the lead rider observed a moose in the trail and managed to avoid the animal. The second rider collided with the moose, causing considerable damage to the machine, killing the animal. The third rider attempted to stop and avoid both the moose and second rider but crashed into the rear of the second machine. The impact broke the right leg of the third rider.

The lead rider was Alex Giebitz, 27, of East Berne, New York. Juan Fernandez, 33, of Almond, New York, was the second rider on a 2015 Ski Doo Renegade. The third rider was Bruce Saucier, 44, of Bangor, operating a 2018 Yamaha Sidewinder.

Saucier managed to drive his snowmobile from the scene with a fractured leg back to their camp in Elliotsville more than eight miles away. Saucier was then taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor by private vehicle. All three men were wearing helmets.

Game Warden Kevin Pelkey investigated the crash and issued a permit to the men to keep the moose.