Schoodic Lake derby draws more than 2,000

BROWNVILLE – The annual Schoodic Lake Fishing Derby sponsored by Milo Fire Department has become one of the area’s largest fund-raising events and a boon to merchants in the region.

More than 2,000 people were reportedly on the ice at Seboeis, Ebeeme and Schoodic lakes on Saturday for the 42nd annual event, which brings about $9,000 into the Fire Department’s coffers, according to Murrel Harris, the department’s treasurer.

“It’s become one of the more popular cabin fever weekends,” Harris said.

The event was marred by a snowmobile accident that injured a Lincoln man. Chris Turner, 23, was traveling on a snowmobile at a high rate of speed on Schoodic Lake when he struck a pressure ridge, went airborne and fell, injuring his back, according to Warden Sgt. Roger Guay of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Turner was taken by ambulance to Mayo Regional Hospital in Dover-Foxcroft and later transferred to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

Guay said wardens conducted a traffic stop that evening in the area and arrested six people for operating a snowmobile while under the influence of intoxicants. He said the six were among 10 parties that were stopped and checked by wardens Saturday night. Of the 10 parties, only one group had no one who had been drinking. Three other parties were borderline, he said.

“It’s kind of alarming,” Guay said, considering it was a weekend for family activities.