A 19-year-old Guelph man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after losing control of his snowmobile Monday night.
Waterloo Regional Police say the man was driving his machine on a trail in Maryhill, near Maryhill Road and St. Charles Street, when he lost control, veered off the trail, was ejected from his vehicle and crashed into a culvert.
It happened around 7 p.m.
“It is not believed that he was out there a long time between the incident and when emergency services were called,” police spokesperson Olaf Heinzel tells CTV News.
Firefighters located and rescued the teen, who was airlifted to a London hospital with serious head and leg injuries.
Police believe speed was the main factor in the crash.
Charges are pending, and could relate to the operation of the snowmobile or its licensing and permits.
The trail the teen was riding on had been closed for several days.
Graham Snyder, vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, says all trails were closed due to the recent thaw, and were gradually being reopened after being deemed safe to travel at 50 km/h.
“We go to extra lengths to make our trails safe and rideable for all,” he says.
“We never want anything like this to happen.”
Snowmobiling on a closed trail is considered trespassing.
Across Ontario, six snowmobile deaths have been reported so far this season. In all cases, the vehicles were being driven on roadways.
