Three people hurt in separate snowmobile crashes

NOBLE COUNTY/PERU, Ind. (WANE) - Three people, two adults and a child, went to area hospitals after separate and unrelated snowmobile crashes this weekend.

The first happened in Noble County on Saturday night. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources said around 9:20 p.m. Christopher Sturgis, 46, of Rome City, was driving his snowmobile in a field alongside Northport Rd. He was going east and came to County Road 375 E.

The DNR said Sturgis was crossing County Road 375 E at a high rate of speed and was thrown off the snowmobile. A helicopter flew him to a Fort Wayne hospital. His injuries weren't released, but as of Sunday night he was listed in serious condition. 

The second snowmobile crash in Noble County happened just before 3 a.m. Sunday. The DNR said Jeremy Lash, 34, of Avilla, was operating a snowmobile in the area of County Roads 400 South and 1000 East near LaOtto.

Details of exactly what happened in this crash are still being investigated. The DNR said more information would be released when it's available. Lash was also flown to a Fort Wayne hospital. As of Sunday evening, he was listed in serious condition.

Another snowmobile crash, this one south of Peru in Miami County, sent a nine-year-old boy to a hospital. It happened near 250 S and SR 19 around 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

The DNR said Jadyn Owens, 9, was riding on a snowmobile with his mom, Cara Owens. Cara stopped the snowmobile to help someone on another snowmobile who was having trouble with the snowmobile. Cara was leaning over to help the other woman when Jadyn grabbed the handlebars and engaged the throttle.

The snowmobile took off and Cara was thrown off. She tried to chase after the snowmobile but couldn't catch it.

Jadyn kept going more than 200 yards and crossed SR 19 before the snowmobile crashed into several trees.

Jadyn's dad was the first person to reach him. He carried the boy to County Road 250 S to wait for medics to arrive. He was taken to a hospital in Peru, but his injuries and condition weren't released.

A fourth crash happened this weekend in Fort Wayne. A 12-year-old boy died in that crash.

Indiana Conservation Officer Dan Lackman told NewsChannel 15 everyone should wear a helmet when riding on a snowmobile and know how to use it.

A lot of crashes also happen because people are unfamiliar with the terrain on which they are riding.

"A lot of times people end up hitting a rock or a hole and it throws them off and with being unfamiliar with how the machine operates, [people] end up going too fast or don't know how to operate the throttle," Lackman said. "Snowmobiles and four-wheelers have thumb throttles. A lot of times when people panic, they tense up and instead of letting off the gas, they give it more gas before they end up crashing."

Lackman added people should slow down.

"Travel at a reasonable pace. A lot of people like to go faster than what is safe. Getting thrown off going 70 or 80 miles per hour is a whole lot worse than if you were going at a slower pace," he said.

The DNR also recommends that anyone who wants to ride a four-wheeler or snowmobile should take a safety class. The DNR and many private organizations offer those classes, Lackman said.