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Contact: Deborah Turcotte, Spokesperson
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
284 State Street
41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333

Telephone: work (207) 287-6008 cell (207) 592-1164

Fax: (207) 287-6395

March 15, 2008

Littleton Man Critically Injured in Snowmobile Accident on Thursday

Houlton – A Littleton man remains hospitalized at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor after a snowmobile accident Thursday in Houlton.

Wayne E. O’Donnell, 50, of Littleton, was snowmobiling on a groomed trail on a field off Foxcroft Road in Houlton when he decided to go off the trail and ride in pristine snow, according to Maine Warden Service Sgt. Dan Menard.

Mr. O’Donnell hit a conservation ditch and lost control of his snowmobile. According to estimates, Mr. O’Donnell landed approximately 70 feet from where he hit the ditch and his snowmobile landed about 65 feet away.

“Besides riding off of the groomed trail, speed was a contributing factor in the accident,” Sgt. Menard said.

Mr. O’Donnell, who was wearing a helmet, was transported to Houlton Regional Hospital and then airlifted by Life Flight to Eastern Maine Medical Center. He suffered a spinal cord injury and other injuries that are not life threatening, Sgt. Menard said.

Snowmobilers are drawn to the pristine snow in open fields, but it is not wise to go off of groomed trails, according to Sgt. Menard. Landowners may give snowmobile clubs permission to put groomed trails on part of their land, but they do not open the rest of their land to snowmobile activity, he said.

Also, obstacles may be hidden underneath the snow, Sgt. Menard said. When sunshine hits pristine snow, a snowmobiler may not be able see contrasts in the land.

“The land is perceived as being flat but you can’t see the obstacles if they’re buried in the snow,” Sgt. Menard said. “We advise snowmobilers to stay on the trails. It’s safer, and the landowners appreciate the respect for their property.”

A Maine Warden Service airplane and airboat is being used, as well as a civilian airboat.

Ray Paine, 49, of Cornville, was out snowmobiling on Friday night with a friend when they decided to take separate routes back to where they were staying in North Anson. His friend arrived, but Mr. Paine did not. His girlfriend contacted the Maine Warden Service at 7:50 a.m. Saturday.

“We believe he may have gotten into an accident,” said Warden Scott Thrasher, who is leading the search.People are out snowmobiling in the area today but so far no one has reported spotting Mr. Paine, Warden Thrasher said.

Mr. Paine was on a black 2007 Yamaha, and is wearing a black helmet, a black jacket, a dark blue-ish snow bibs.

nyone with information on Mr. Paine’s whereabouts is asked to call the Maine State Police at 800-452-4664.