News

Brian James dies in snowmobile accident

Posted on April 16, 2009, at 12:00 a.m.

Carissa Granatowski

Brian James, 22, died Saturday in a snowmobile accident.

University of Maine student Brian James died from the result of a neck fracture in a snowmobile accident Saturday night, according to Sgt. Tom Ward of the Maine Warden Service.

James, 22, was a third-year public administration student and a member of the Maine Air National Guard. He was from Presque Isle.

The accident occurred in Township 9, Range 7 in Aroostook County, about seven miles from Ox Falls.

The wardens were notified shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday, but the accident happened at approximately 11:45 p.m. Saturday, according to Ward.

James fractured his neck and died on impact when the snowmobile he was driving left the trail and struck a large birch tree. “He was traveling a little too fast for the conditions,” Ward said. “… We have snow banks probably a couple feet high, and it appears he just got over to the right a little bit, and the corner probably came up on him a little too quickly, and he wasn’t able to negotiate it.” James was wearing a helmet.

James was snowmobiling with Cad Lavway, 22, also of Presque Isle. Lavway passed the scene of the accident without noticing it and continued to the family’s camp. When Lavway discovered James was not already at the camp, Lavway and two other men from the camp searched for him.

When James was found, the search team called the Warden Service. Four wardens, including Ward, responded, as well as Ashland Ambulance and Fire.

“He was a very good student,” said the chair of the Public Administration department, Tom Taylor. “I remember him with a big smile, cracking a joke here and there. … We were just shocked when we heard about this.”

James was taken to Duncan Graves Memorial Home in Presque Isle.