One dead in Vilas County snowmobile accident

A 59-year-old Illinois man died as the result of injuries sustained in a snowmobile accident late Saturday afternoon in St. Germain. 

According to a press release from the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, the dispatch center received a call just before 5 p.m. reporting a snowmobiler had struck a tree along a curve on Trail 15 near Sweet Fern Lane.

The man, John Shaw of New Lennox, Ill., was unresponsive. 

CPR was initiated and he transported from the scene. 

The press release states on the way to the hospital, “life saving measures were unsuccessful” and Shaw was pronounced dead. 

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is conducting the accident investigation.

Chris Bartelt with the DNR’s Woodruff office told The Lakeland Times Tuesday the investigation is “still open” and what he was able to release at this time was limited. 

“What I can say he (Shaw) failed to negotiate a right turn on the trail and struck a tree,” he said. 

Bartelt said Shaw’s death was the second snowmobile fatality for Vilas County this snowmobile season. 

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].