NEWRY — The Maine Warden Service responded to two serious ATV accidents in western Maine on Wednesday, the first in Newry and the second in Mason Township.
About 11:30 a.m., 19-year-old Haley Cordeau of Concord, Mass., was riding with her parents and two other ATV riders on a guided trip, Cpl. John MacDonald said. The trip took place on Sunday River property on the 3-Mile ATV Trail and was guided by Bethel-based Sun Valley Sports.
Cordeau was operating a 2004 Arctic Cat 500 ATV when she struck a water bar in the trail and lost control, according to MacDonald. She left the trail, struck a culvert and then a tree.
According to Warden Kris Barboza, Cordeau had limited ATV riding experience. Her machine was registered and she was wearing a helmet.
According to MacDonald, her parents drove her to Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway.
The hospital could not provide any information on her condition Thursday but did say that she had not been admitted as a patient.
Hours later at 4:52 p.m., a 15-year-old boy overturned his ATV in a remote area of the White Mountain National Forest in Mason Township.
According to Barboza, he was returning home from a friend’s house and encountered a very rough trail. The 2008 Kawasaki Brute Force 750 that he was riding flipped over on top of him and pinned him underneath the seat of the ATV. His face was partially submerged in water and mud and he was not able to free himself, according to investigators.
The teen did have a cellphone and was fortunate to have reception in that area to be able to call his father, Dean Richmond, according to wardens.
Richmond, of Smith Farm Road in Mason Township, called 911 and immediately went looking for his son. The victim also called a teenage friend and he responded as well, according to investigators.
The victim’s friend located him first. The father arrived soon after and together they removed the machine from the victim.
According to Barboza, the boy was wearing a helmet. His off-road ATV riding experience was very limited, according to wardens.
Bethel Rescue and local residents assisted with this incident.
MacDonald said Friday by email that the teen was also taken to Stephens Memorial Hospital for possible pelvic injuries.
ATVs are prohibited in the White Mountain National Forest, MacDonald said.
“The boy’s name is not being released pending an investigation,” he said on Friday.
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