Illinois man killed in snowmobile accident in Town of Nokomis
For the Tomahawk Leader
TOWN OF NOKOMIS – An Illinois man was killed in a snowmobile accident in the Town of Nokomis on Friday, Jan. 27.
According to a release, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of the accident on Trail 51 south of intersection 300, near the intersection of County Rd. L and Heafford Rd., at approximately 11:10 p.m.
Upon arrival, deputies determined that a snowmobile had overtaken another snowmobile at a high rate of speed. The passing snowmobile was unable to negotiate a curve in the trail, and the operator, identified by the Sheriff’s Office as Matthew R. Finstrom, 41, of Illinois, was ejected from the snowmobile and struck a fence post.
The Sheriff’s Office said witnesses attempted lifesaving measures, but Finstrom was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is completing the accident report, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Nokomis Fire and First Responders, Oneida County EMS, Tomahawk EMS, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, DNR and the Oneida County Medical Examiner’s Department.
As of press time on Monday, Jan. 30, there had been seven snowmobile-related fatalities in Wisconsin this season.