Manchester man injured hit when snowmobile hits tree across trail

THORNDIKE TOWNSHIP – A 46-year-old Manchester man was injured Monday afternoon when his snowmobile hit a tree that had fallen across the trail during last weekend’s storm.

Larry Smith was riding the first snowmobile in a group of eight eastbound on ITS 88 when the accident occurred about 2:30 p.m. in Thorndike Township, just north of Route 15 in Somerset County, according to Deborah Turcotte, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Smith and his snowmobile hit the tree, which was sticking up about 16 inches above the snow, went over it, and he fell off, according to Warden Ray Miller.

None of the others snowmobiling with Smith saw him hit the tree. They did call 911 for help. Smith was wearing a helmet.

“He was far ahead so nobody saw anything,” Miller said. “Something may have distracted him but I don’t know what yet. The accident remains under investigation.”

LifeFlight took Smith to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Smith did not suffer life-threatening injuries, Turcotte said.