Oxford man injured in snowmobile accident

OXFORD — An Oxford man was transported to the hospital Monday afternoon after he crashed his snowmobile on a trail off of Allen Hill Road. 

The accident happened around 2:30 p.m., reported Oxford Police Officer Alan Coffin, Tuesday.

"A witness on scene said he was lying in the road right beside his snowmobile," Coffin said. 

Michael Girardin, 50, drove his snowmobile to Allen Hill Road after crashing it on a nearby trail while traveling west from his home on Robinson Hill Road, Coffin said.

According to Coffin, Girardin was transported to Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway for minor lacerations on his head. Coffin said Girardin was wearing a helmet when the accident occurred. 

Oxford Police Lieutenant Michael Ward said that Girardin was found lying in the roadway by a bus driver who happened to be passing by and dispatched Oxford Police to the scene. 

Coffin said it's difficult to determine how fast Girardin was going on his snowmobile when the accident happened, but believes alcohol may be a factor.

The Maine Warden Service is reconstructing the accident. A call to MWS was not returned by press time.

A handful of snowmobile accidents in January which caused injury to all riders prompted the MWS to issue a warning. 

MWS reminds all snowmobilers to be especially careful when operating their machines at night. It also cautions that operating at high rates of speed does not allow for proper reaction time or braking.

In addition, operating at a high speed places the operator in danger of driving beyond the effectiveness of headlights, according to MWS.