URGENT URGENT URGENT – Upper Peninsula Breaking News Bulletin – 3-2-18 – 5:55 a.m. ET
Names, a little more info is released on that horrific snowmobile, Gator tracked vehicle crash on Monday in Chippewa County
Snowmobile vs Gator Crash Trail 8
John Deer Gator
Snowmobile vs Gator Crash Trail 8
By Greg Peterson
U.P. Breaking News
Owner, News Director
906-273-2433
(Sault Ste. Marie MI) – Names and more information are coming out five days after that violent fiery crash involving a snowmobile and a tracked vehicle pulling a groomer in Chippewa County, MI.
A Chippewa County man who was killed and a downstate Ada man was critically burned in the crash on Snowmobile Trail Number 8 in the area of the Algonquin Ski Trail at about 10:40 a.m. ET Monday morning, Feb. 26, 2018 in Sault Ste. Marie.
65-year-old Roy Lee Pederson, of Paradise, MI was killed at the scene of the crash. At least 7 people have died in just over two months in U.P. snowmobile accidents. Pederson was a State Park Ranger with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, according to his obituary.
“He loved everything to do with the outdoors. He also loved to go to his grandsons’ hockey games. If they were playing, he was there!”
Scroll down to see the full obituary. Memorial services will not be held.
The driver of the 2014 Yamaha snowmobile was 58-year-old Mark S. Goss of downstate Ada. MI. Goss was rushed to War Memorial Hospital in the Soo. Goss was later flown to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids with severe burns.
It explains why authorities were trying to reach the AMWAY world headquarters in Ada. Goss worked at AMWAY, and his namesake son interned at the company.
Pedersen was driving a 2015 John Deere Gator side by side, equipped with tracks. He had been grooming a nearby cross country ski trail when the grooming vehicle and the snowmobile collided.
There have been at least 7 snowmobile fatalities in just over two months during a horrific snowmobiling season on Upper Peninsula Trails. At least four people have been critically injured in U.P. snowmobile crashes since mid-December 2017.
After U.P. Breaking News exposed the police audio from the accident – officials finally released a vague statement that has appeared in some of the U.P. media.
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Previous stories and links on 2017-2018 Winter U.P. Snowmobiling season – listen to the police audio of the Soo wreck:
Obituary:
65-year-old Roy L. Pederson, of Paradise, MI, passed away unexpectedly in an accident on February 26, 2018. Roy was born on December 7, 1952 in St. Johns, MI, to Lee and Sue Pederson. He attended Central Michigan University where he met and married his wife, Diane, on May 21, 1977. Roy enjoyed his work as a State Park Ranger with the Department of Natural Resources, as he loved everything to do with the outdoors. He also loved to go to his grandsons’ hockey games. If they were playing, he was there!
Roy is survived by his wife Diane, his daughter Debbie (Eddie) Bowers, his son Jeromy, and grandchildren Eddie, Ian, Blake, Lucas Roy, Marlee, and Kyanite, a niece Sarah Messer, sister-in-law Patty (Tim) Shine, sister-in-law Karen Lang, brother-in-law Mike (Annmarie) Mackley, and special friends Luane and Cathy Lumbert.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Gene.
He also has a large extended family with many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
According to Roy’s wishes, a memorial service is not planned. Arrangements are being made by the Hovie Funeral Home in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Memorials may be made to the family to be donated in memory of Roy to a charity or organization that was important to him.
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Snowmobile Fatalities 2017-2018 winter:
Jamie Steen
Randy Alan Liddicoat
Michele Marie ‘Shelly’ Megard
Jason Craig Bashor
46-year-old Michael James Zanlungo of Harrison Township, MI
51-year-old Douglas Charles Hawes of Saginaw, MI
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Tues., Jan. 16, 2018 – Chippewa County, MI
![51-year-old Douglas Charles Hawes of Saginaw, MI](https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/douglas-charles-hawes-4.jpg?w=665)
Douglas Charles Hawes
51-year-old Douglas Charles Hawes of Saginaw, MI
Hawes was riding his sled on Snowmobile Trail #8 (between M-123, Curley Lewis Highway) during the noon hour on that Tuesday in Chippewa County.
Hawes missed a curve and struck a tree traveling very fast. Speed and unfamiliarity of snowmobile trails (surprise curves) is a big factor in many of the deaths. Tremendous speeds that kill instantly. Hawes apparently did not see the curve until it was too late. Hawes and his sled then slammed into trees.
Hawes was married and leaves behind a wife and daughter.
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Wed., Jan. 10, 2018 – southern Houghton County, MI
![Jamie Steen](https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/jamie-steen-curtiss-wi.jpg?w=251&h=399)
Jamie Travis Steen
41-year-old Jamie Travis Steen of rural Curtiss, Wisconsin
Killed after losing control of sled on a curve on Trail 8 and hit a tree in remote Houghton County – off M-28
Factors include speed
Steen was married and the father of four daughters
He was in the construction business all his lifr and owned SJS Excavating, a sewer and sewer line construction company in Curtiss, WI.
A memorial service will be held this Wed., Jan. 17, 2018.
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Sat., Dec. 30, 2017 – Gogebic County, MI
![Randy Alan Liddicoat](https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/randy-alan-liddicoat-1.png?w=271&h=350)
Randy Alan Liddicoat
52-year-old Randy Alan Liddicoat of Evansville, Wisconsin
Victim was trying to cross U.S.-2 at Ramsay crossing about 1 p.m. in Gogebic County – struck by an eastbound pickup truck.
Factors include low visibility/snowy conditions
Liddicoat loved snowmobiling and attending Wisconsin Badger football games with his two sons. Liddicoat was active in fishing, golf, Midget and Sprint car racing, and other sports including still holding high school cross country records. He loved his two dogs (Olive and Henry) and enjoyed relaxing with family and friends.
A farmer in his younger years, Liddicoat worked at Covance Laboratories and Millwork Specialists of Wisconsin in Madison. He was a co-owner of Liddicoat Lawncare Services LLC with his sons Brett and Blake. A memorial service was held on Sat., Jan. 13, 2018.
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Fri., Dec. 29, 2017 – Gogebic County, MI
![Michele Marie 'Shelly' Megard](https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/michele-marie-shelly-megard-1.jpg?w=665)
Michele Marie ‘Shelly’ Megard
51-year-old Michele Marie “Shelly” Megard of Hudson, Wisconsin
Riding with other sledders in a group on an unplowed right of way on Powerhorn Road – north of U.S.-2 in Bessemer Township, MI.
Victim lost control of her machine about 11:30 a.m., overturned in ditch and was run over by another snowmobile.
Factors include visibility/snowy weather
Visitation and a celebration of life was held Sat., Jan. 13, 2018.
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Wed., Dec. 27, 2017 – Luce County, MI
![46-year-old Michael James Zanlungo of Harrison Township, MI](https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/michael-james-zanlungo-2.jpeg?w=496&h=496)
Michael James Zanlungo
46-year-old Michael James Zanlungo of Harrison Township, MI
Zanlungo was killed while riding Trail #9 traveling northbound in McMillan Township on a Wednesday afternoon in the last week of 2017.
Zanlungo’s sled hit a log on the trail and the sled careened into trees.
The crash happened on snowmobile Trail #9 in Luce County – west of County Road 407.
Among those on the scene were Michigan State Police of the Sault Ste. Marie Post and Luce County EMS.
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Sun., Dec. 17, 2017 – Alger County, MI
![Jason Craig Bashor](https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/jason-craig-bashor-1.jpg?w=263&h=531)
Jason Craig Bashor
34-year-old Jason Craig Bashor of Pocomoke City, Maryland
![Shaena Leigh Hicks](https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/shaena-leigh-hicks-fb-1.jpg?w=300&h=300)
Shaena Leigh Hicks
A friend and co-worker in meteorology – 34-year-old Shaena Leigh Hicks of Greenbackville, Virginia suffered serious injuries in the crash.
Both were on travel assignment in the U.P. Hicks is a meteorologist at Orbital ATK in Virginia – a company that does work in military satellites, space travel, missiles and defense systems. Hicks, a married mother of two, is a native of Roanoke, VA.
The pair was traveling together in separate snowmobiles – lost control on Trail #8 curve, left the trail, struck multiple trees- about a mile west of M-94 in Shingleton, MI.
Factors include excessive speed and operational inexperience.
![Jason Bashor](https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/jason-bashor-maryland-2.jpg?w=665)
Jason Craig Bashor
A father of two, Bashor served in the Navy from 2002 until 2012.
Bashor was currently an Electrical Tech 3 working as a Senior Ground Validation Systems Technician for A.S.R.C. Fed. Space and Defense (AS&D) at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, VA
Bashor was on a travel assignment in Michigan.
Funeral services were held on Sat., Dec. 23, 2017 in Pocomoke City, MD.
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U.P. Snowmobile info
Snowmobile Trail Report
Jason Craig Bashor
Michele Marie ‘Shelly’ Megard
Randy Alan Liddicoat
Jamie Steen
46-year-old Michael James Zanlungo of Harrison Township, MI
51-year-old Douglas Charles Hawes of Saginaw, MI
ttps://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/2018/01/17/fifth-snowmobile-fatal-crash-in-a-month-in-the-upper-peninsula-claims-life-of-saginaw-man/comment-page-1/
Tragedy on the Trails: Terrible snowmobile crash reported in Chippewa County, MI
Fiery early Monday morning snowmobile crash sends sledder to Ironwood, MI hospital with serious injuries – Funerals held this weekend and one planned this week for three of the four people killed in U.P. snowmobile crashes in past month