STAR JOURNAL REPORT

The Vilas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a snowmobile fatality, less than two weeks after trails in Vilas County officially opened. A wireless 911 call was received at 8:25 p.m. Monday, Dec. 26, reporting a snowmobile crash on trail 6 along Vandercook road in the town of Arbor Vitae.

The initial investigation disclosed that the deceased was operating on the marked snowmobile trail and struck a tree.  He was reportedly following other snowmobiles in his party.  The victim, a 63-year-old man from East Moline, Ill. was pronounced dead at the scene.

The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of family members.

Arbor Vitae Fire Department, Medic 5, the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Vilas County Coroner’s Office responded to the accident.

The accident is still under investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office and the Vilas County Coroner’s Office.