Driver killed in collision of snowmobiles on Minnesota trail

A collision involving snowmobilers heading in opposite directions on a northern Minnesota trail left one of them dead, officials said.

The crash occurred shortly before 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 3 along the Arrowhead State Snowmobile Trail north of Orr, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said.

A caller to 911 reported the crash and said that one of the snowmobilers was thrown from his vehicle and was unresponsive, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Emergency response personnel arrived and provided immediate medical attention to a 57-year-old man from the Twin Cities before he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

“Initial investigation into the crash indicates that two snowmobiles were driving in opposite directions on the trail, with both machines ... being driven by lone occupants,” a Sheriff’s Office statement read. “While navigating a curve in the trail, the snowmobiles collided in a sideswipe fashion.”

The man who died lost control of his snowmobile and it rolled several times, the statement continued. The driver of the other snowmobile was not injured.