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Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
284 State Street
41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333

Contact: Doug Rafferty - 287-5248

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March 8, 2013

Fatal Snowmobile Crash

T6 R7 WELS, Maine - At approximately 12:30 this afternoon, the Maine Warden Service was notified of a serious snowmobile crash which occurred on ITS 85 in T6 R7 WELS in northern Penobscot County. Wayne Nickerson, age 64, from Yarmouth, Maine, collided with a tree. Nickerson was pronounced dead at the scene when wardens and EMS arrived.

Nickerson was riding behind Bert Dickenson, age 49, from Lewiston in an easterly direction and failed to negotiate a left hand curve near the snowmobile bridge on the Sebois River. It appears the snowmobile went airborne for a short distance after leaving the trail before hitting the tree. The victim received head trauma but was wearing a helmet. The 2007 Arctic Cat F-8 was heavily damaged and was removed from the scene.

The four responding wardens, Sergeant Ron Dunham and Wardens Seth Powers, Jim Davis, and Charles Brown, were assisted by Mount Chase Ambulance and Rescue personnel. Nickerson’s body was transported to Bower’s Funeral Home in Island Falls. This incident remains under investigation. No further information or photos are available at this time.

*The Maine Warden Service reminds all snowmobilers to pay close attention to changing trail conditions as spring approaches. Always drive responsibly and never drink and drive. This is Maine’s sixth snowmobiling fatality this winter season. One of the fatalities occurred on February 28 on a public way in Orrington handled by Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department.

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