MARINETTE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – One person is dead after a snowmobile crash.
It happened Monday night in the Town of Chilton.
The Calumet County Sheriff’s Office says 65-year-old Robert Hoerth lost control while crossing State Highway 151.
He was the only person on the sled.
The crash is the fifth snowmobile death of the year. That compares to 16 deadly crashes last year.
A ride through the woods on a snowmobile can be a lot of fun, but the Department of Natural Resources says it can also be deadly.
“These machines go extremely fast. And faster than most cars on the highway do. But with that being said, they don’t have seatbelts. They don’t have airbags,” said Darren Kuhn, DNR Recreation Warden.
Kuhn tells FOX 11 snowmobilers need to slow down, and not mix alcohol and riding.
“Drinking is never a good thing. We continue to see a problem with a majority of our accidents. Speed, and/or alcohol, drugs are factors. And if you’re of legal drinking age, and you want to have some cocktails, and warm-up, wait until you get home.”
Kuhn says weather is another concern. On Lake Noquebay east of Crivitz, ice fishermen, ATVs, and even a few pick up trucks were spotted on Tuesday’s ice. But on the west end of the lake, there was plenty of open water.
“We’ve had really cold days, followed by a couple of days of warmer weather that affect the ice. The snow on top of the ice acts like insulation. So now, we can have melting ice that’s not visible,” said Kuhn.
Kuhn says snowmobilers should ride on the right side of the trail, and obey the night time speed limit of 55 miles per hour.
“If you take a corner and you’re on the center, or too far to the left, you risk head-on collisions, and we had several of those already this season.”
Kuhn says the advice is simple, ride smart, stay sober, and slow down.
“The last thing we need to do is have to knock on someone’s door, and say that their loved one was killed in a snowmobile accident.”
The DNR also says people should ride in groups, carry a charged cell phone, and tell others where they plan to be.
