Two men are in the hospital this evening after a major head-on snowmobile crash in Tim Pond Township. At around noon today, Ryan Jones, 24, of Jefferson, was struck by Michael Ouellette, 52, of Topsham. Jones was approaching a curve in the trail when he was struck by Ouellette who had entered the corner from the opposite direction at a high rate of speed.

Both men suffered serious injuries in the crash and both snowmobiles sustained major damage. Ouellette was transported by LifeFlight to Lewiston trauma center. 

Jones was transported to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington for injuries to his shoulder and face. Both males were wearing helmets.

The crash remains under investigation by Maine Warden Service.

It appears speed was a contributing factor in this crash, wardens said. Rescue personnel from both Rangeley and Eustis responded and assisted in this incident. 

Another man was hospitalized after crashing his snowmobile in Casco at around noon today.

Dean Dunton, 55, of Casco, was operating his 2003 Arctic Cat ZR900 on a section of trail on the pipeline when he struck some uneven packed snow and was ejected. He was taken by LifeFlight to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston for evaluation. Excessive speed appears to be a factor in this crash as well.

With great conditions and thousands of people taking to the trails, Maine game wardens are urging snowmobilers to slow down. Contributing factors to many fatal and life threatening crashes in Maine continue to involve excessive speeds.

“Slow down and always provide plenty of time to stop or react to an unexpected object in the trail or an oncoming snowmobile,” wardens said, in a news release. “Fines and jail time can result if snowmobile operators are found to be operating recklessly or too fast for conditions. Ride safely and responsibly.”