February 22, 2023

MDIFW NEWS: Connecticut Man Dies in Snowmobile Crash on Rangeley Lake

Editor's Note: The attached photo is from the crash site on Rangeley Lake. Game Wardens as they map out the crash scene.

RANGELEY, Maine - A Connecticut man died as a result of a snowmobile crash on Rangeley Lake.

Maine Warden Service recovered the body of Stephen J. Rogers, age 43, of Milford, Connecticut from the shoreline of Rangeley Lake Wednesday afternoon after a crash that occurred sometime on the night of Saturday, February 18.

Rogers was using a loaner snowmobile while his snowmobile was being repaired at Oquossoc Marine. When Rogers failed to return to pick up his repaired snowmobile on Tuesday, February 21 he was reported missing by the owner of Oquossoc Marine and Maine Game Wardens began an investigation.

Investigators believed Rogers went out for a snowmobile ride sometime after 10:40 p.m. on Saturday, February 18. Cell phone data obtained in the investigation led game wardens to begin a search in the area of downtown Rangeley.

On Tuesday, February 21, Maine Warden Service received information from a property owner in Rangeley indicating that they had found broken snowmobile parts along the shoreline of Rangeley Lake which match the description of the snowmobile being operated by Rogers. U.S. Border Patrol then flew over the area with a helicopter and located the crashed snowmobile. Maine Game Wardens later recovered the body of Stephen Rogers approximately 142 feet into the woods from the shoreline in Russell Cove on Rangeley Lake. Further investigation of the crash site indicated that Rogers was travelling at a high rate of speed on the lake and he collided with several trees along the shoreline. Excessive speed and alcohol appear to be contributing factors in the crash.