A 29-year-old Madison man died late Friday after hitting a broken-down snowmobile trail groomer with his snowmobile.
Officials say speed was a factor in the incident, which is still under investigation.
Richard Pepin II, 29, was snowmobiling on a Madison trail Friday night when he came over a ridge, traveled a distance and then hit the groomer, according to Maine Warden Service Sgt. Chris Simmons.
Two snowmobilers not riding with Pepin came upon the scene and called for help at 10:10 p.m.
Pepin was wearing a helmet.
The trail groomer is owned by the Abnaki Sno-Riders Inc. Club of Madison. The operator of the groomer was not on the scene at the time of the accident, but had placed three orange caution signs in front and in back of the machine, and attached orange tape on poles in front and back of the groomer to indicate that it was not in use.
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