Three men were killed Saturday in ATV accidents in Anson, The Forks and Lang Township, according to the Maine Warden Service.
At about 10 a.m. in The Forks, Joshua Violette, 32, of Readfield was the fifth driver in a group of nine when he hit a dip on Devine Road, lost control and flipped his ATV, Cpl. John MacDonald of the Warden Service said in a statement released Sunday to the news media.
Violette was pronounced dead at the scene.
Violette’s passenger, Ashlie Dostie, 33, of Mount Vernon suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, according to MacDonald.
Dostie was taken to Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan.
Neither rider was wearing a helmet, according to MacDonald.
A few minutes later in Anson, Roland Robitaille, 69, of Freedom was riding in a line of seven ATVs on a trail behind the Solon Road. He went over a bridge on the trail, lost control and was thrown from his vehicle, according to MacDonald.
Robitaille was not wearing a helmet, according to MacDonald. He was found face down on the trail by other members of his group, with severe injuries to his head and chest. His companions called 911 and performed CPR until emergency workers arrived, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
That night in Lang Township, Tyler Curry, 29, of Groton, Massachusetts, was riding alone on a private access road. Just before crossing a bridge, he made a left turn and slid off the bridge and into the river.
Curry was not wearing a helmet.
At about 6:20 p.m., two men came to the river to fish and found Curry’s body. Emergency workers pronounced him dead at the scene.
Game wardens said they believed speed was a factor in the crash, which was still being investigated Sunday.
“ATV riding can be a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors, when they are driven properly,” MacDonald said. “Always wear your helmet, always ride under control, always ride sober and stay on marked trails.”
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