Iron County Snowmobile Accidents

The Iron County Sheriff’s Office had a busy Saturday, with several snowmobile crashes to look into.

One of them happened shortly after 1 pm Central time in Caspian during the Mid America Championship Hillclimb snowmobile race.

A competitor was trying to climb the hill when his machine’s throttle stuck open.

The rider fell from the sled, which veered into a group of spectators.

Two of the spectators were taken to NORTHSTAR Health System in Iron River with leg injuries.

A tether device designed to shut the snowmobile off when the rider fell from the sled failed because it detached from the rider.

Sheriff’s deputies, snowmobile patrol personnel and Search and Rescue personnel that were on hand for the race helped out at the scene.

Then, shortly after 1:30 pm, police had to respond to a snowmobile accident on the Michigamme Reservoir.

39-year-old Chris List of Iron Mountain hit an embankment and crashed.

List was taken to Dickinson County Memorial Hospital in Iron Mountain with non-life-threatening injuries.

The third accident took place on Trail 113 in Crystal Falls just after 6 pm.

Police say 43-year-old Jeffery Masley of Elk River, Minnesota drove off the trail while on a curve and crashed into some trees.

Masley was taken to NORTHSTAR Health System.

There’s no word on how he’s doing.

The Sheriff’s Department says they believe Masley was intoxicated.

Iron County Search and Rescue and the Crystal Falls Fire Department assisted deputies at that crash scene.

The incident is still being investigated.

Posted by: Mike Hoey