Sheriff Carpinelli: Intoxication is a possible factor in Thursday’s fatal snowmobile accident in West Turin

LEWIS COUNTY- The unfortunate news of Lewis County’s first fatal snowmobile accident this season surfaced earlier today and according to Sheriff Carpinelli, intoxication is currently considered a possible factor.

“Pending a further investigation on the case,” the Sheriff told us Friday morning.

Image by Brian Trainor.

Emergency responders were called out early Thursday evening to the scene of a snowmobile that crashed into a tree on Trail C4A in the town of West Turin.

The driver, identified by investigators as Brett T. McGowan, 42, of Cicero, NY, was pronounced deceased on scene. The Sheriff said speed was also another factor in the crash.

This development blossoms as county officials wrapped-up last-year’s riding season by hashing out ways to make snowmobiling safer and lower the accident rates in the Tug Hill region. Last-year at this time, reports were published that suggested Lewis County possessed some of the highest snowmobile accident rates in the entire state.

Officials have clarified that the region does see a tremendous amount of sled traffic, which tends to contribute to the higher statistic.

Still, even though some people seem to grow tired of the annual safety messages from law enforcement, Sheriff Carpinelli says it never gets any easier informing families who have lost a loved one simply due to recklessness and carelessness.

“We have to deal with the deaths of these people and contacting their families,” Carpinelli said. “It’s a terrible thing.”

As this year’s riding season kicks off, our local law enforcement agencies and snowmobile clubs are strongly urging caution and responsibility on the trail system.

Image via the Lewis County Sheriff's Office.