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Press Releases

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

• Maine Wildlife Park Press Releases
• Previous Press Releases for 2008
• Previous Press Releases for 2007

April 20, 2008

Massachusetts Teen Girl Dies in ATV Incident

Dresden, Maine – A 15-year-old girl from Westport, Mass., died Sunday when she struck a tree while riding an all-terrain vehicle in Dresden, according to the Maine Warden Service.

Chelsea Ponte, 15, and her sister were riding four-wheelers in a field off Route 128 around 1:15 p.m. Sunday when she came upon a rough piece of land and hit a tree. Miss Ponte was not wearing a helmet, according to Warden Sgt. John Blagdon.

“Chelsea and her sister were just out putt-ing along in the field and enjoying the day when the incident occurred,” Sgt. Blagdon said. “Speed was not a factor.”

Miss Ponte died of her injuries at the scene.

Miss Ponte’s mother, Wendy Ponte, and her mother’s boyfriend were with the victim when she died. Miss Ponte’s father, who is in Massachusetts, was notified of his daughter’s death.

Warden Doug Kulis is the primary investigator and is being assisted by Warden Bob Decker. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department also assisted at the scene.

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