URGENT – U.P. Breaking News Bulletin – 2-7-18
A Port Huron, MI man remains in serious condition in a Marquette, MI trauma center following that snowmobile crash into a river Sunday night in Shingleton, MI.
34-year-old Jordan Michael Randall of Port Huron, MI was flown from the scene in Alger County to U.P. Health Systems-Marquette – where he remains in serious condition.
Another snowmobiler remains in critical condition at U.P. Health System-Marquette.
At least six snowmobilers have died in crashes in the Upper Peninsula – since mid Dec. 2017.
2-5-18 – 1:40 a.m. ET
Injured snowmobiler spends 10 minutes in Alger County stream – and 45 minutes in the freezing cold before being found – this after crashing his sled at a high rate of speed near Shingleton, MI
By Greg Peterson
U.P. Breaking News
Owner, News Director
906-273-2433
(Alger County, MI) – A snowmobiler with a serious back injury was choppered to the hospital in Marquette early this morning after landing in an Alger County river.
The 34-year-old victim spent 45 minutes wet and freezing before he was found. The man told paramedics he was actually in the river for 10 minutes.
The accident happened about 11 p.m. Sunday night. Once found it was a team effort to keep him warm while awaiting the airborne medivac chopper – Valley Med Flight.
Immediately those on the scene started warming him. Alger Med EMS, Alger County Rescue (Unit) 21. and the Alger County Sheriff’s Department – all had crews on the scene.
The snowmobiler left Snowmobile Trail #8 at a high rate of speed – and crashed his sled into the river. The accident happened on Trail #8 in Shingleton near M-28. Excessive speed and alcohol are believed to be factors in the crash.
Officials have not released the man’s name or hometown. The crash is still being investigated by the sheriff’s department.
The man was very cold and reported he has an extremely sore back.
The extent of the back injury is not known, although it was dispatched as a possible broken back and he was declared a priority one patient when flown to Marquette.
The victim ended up in Hickey Creek – which is much more of a river than a creek.
A landing site was set up in Shingleton, MI at the Tanglewood Inn on M-28.
The victim was flown from the landing site in Alger County to Marquette about 12:35 a.m. today, Dec. 5, 2018 by Valley Med Flight medevac. It was about a 25 minute fight.
Paramedics and law enforcement were dispatched to the Hickey Creek Bridge behind the Tanglewood Inn. The area is close to Snowmobile Trail 8.
The victim has “severe pain in the back,” flight paramedics radioed to doctors at U.P. Health System-Marquette. He had stable vitals signs. The victim had movement in all four extremities (legs, arms).
Marquette Police Photo
This was one of several snowmobile accidents across the U.P. this weekend including four snowmobiles that plummeted to the bottom of Lake superior while the sledders were crossing unstable ice off Grand Island near Munising. The Saturday morning crash left them cold but uninjured. There is an on going warning about unstable ice in and around Munising Bay.
http://www.munisingsnow.com/UserFiles/File/munisingsnowmap.pdf
Upper Peninsula Breaking News by Greg Peterson 