Crime & Safety
Two Massachusetts Snowmobilers Seriously Injured In Separate Crashes
A Boston, Massachusetts, man hit a rock in Berlin with his rented machine and a man from Methuen lost control on an icy trail in Dalton.
COOS COUNTY, NH — New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers and first responders were dispatched to multiple snowmobile incidents on Saturday.
Berlin Fire, Berlin EMS, and a New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Conservation Officer responded to a snowmobile crash on the Brook Road Trail in Jericho State Park in Berlin at 9:30 a.m.
Arriving crews learned that Axel Nieves, 32, of Boston, Massachusetts, had hit a rock that was buried underneath soft snow with his rented snowmobile. Nieves was thrown from the machine during the crash and sustained a serious but non-life-threatening injury.
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Nieves was transported out of the woods by a rescue UTV (utility terrain vehicle) and brought to a waiting ambulance. Once roadside, Nieves was transported by ambulance to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin for further evaluation and treatment.
A second snowmobile crash occurred on the Corridor 5 snowmobile trail in Dalton. According to Conservation Officers, Philip Hoffman, 53, of Methuen, MA, lost control of his snowmobile after hitting an unexpected icy spot in the trail.
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Hoffman subsequently left the trail and rolled his machine in soft, deep snow. During this process, Hoffman’s body hit a stump that was underneath the snow, causing serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Hoffman was assisted at the scene by his riding companions and encountered by a group of off-duty first responders who were snowmobiling in the area.
A member of this group made a radio call for help, which prompted a response by the Dalton Fire Department, Whitefield Fire and EMS, and a New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Conservation Officer.
Once roadside, he was transported by ambulance to Littleton Regional Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
Consistent snow and cold temperatures have made for some excellent snowmobiling in Coos County, and outdoor enthusiasts are flocking to take advantage of it, according to NH Fish and Game.
The influx of visitors has come with foreseen issues. Conservation Officers would like to thank local Fire and EMS organizations for their willingness to help bring people to safety in their time of need.
