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Minocqua Man Dies In Newbold Snowmobile Crash; Snowmobile Fatals Rise to Seven

A Minocqua man has died in a town of Newbold snowmobile crash.

The Oneida County Sheriff's Department reports last Wednesday they investigated a snowmobile crash near Highway 70. The caller told the dispatcher the man was injured on the trail and his snowmobile was in the woods.

The operator of the snowmobile, 45 year old Jesse Wiesendanger of Minocqua, died Monday from injuries sustained in the crash. The Sheriff's Department says it appears alcohol was a factor in the crash.

His death marks the seventh snowmobile-related death in Wisconsin this winter and the first in Oneida County. 

Two other fatal accidents happened Sunday in Central and Northeast parts of the state. 

As of this time last year, there had been eight snowmobile-related fatalities. 

DNR Snowmobile Administrator Gary Eddy says alcohol was a contributing factor in all but one of the fatal incidents so far this winter. 

He adds that many people may be using lake trails this time of year, especially in southern Wisconsin where snow cover is low. 

“Ice conditions can vary greatly, and there’s really no such thing as safe ice. And they need to try and find out the best information on ice conditions before they venture out onto a frozen water body.”

He says bait shops and law enforcement offices will often have good information on local ice conditions. 

Fatal snowmobile accidents have occurred this year in Forest, Lincoln, Iron, Vilas, Waupaca, Oconto, and Oneida counties.

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