By Stowell P. Watters
Staff Writer
    Christopher P. Jackson, 23 of Kennebunk, died at 8 p.m. Dec. 4 as the result of a head injury during a snowmobile ride just 13 days before he was to turn 24-years-old.
    “It is absolutely tragic. We urge caution on the trails every season,” said Deborah Turcotte, acting director of public information and education at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
    According to the Warden Service, Jackson was snowmobiling with his two childhood friends, 26-year-old Ty Brown and 24-year-old Matthew Weeman when Jackson got away from them while riding on a trail in Springvale. The trail, an old railroad bed, is used as a walking and hiking path in the summer and a snowmobile trail in the winter.
    Jackson came upon the gate – marked with reflectors and signs – that separates the trail from Hansen Ridge Road. Turcotte said tracks indicate Jackson tried to turn to the right to avoid the gate but was flung forward as the vehicle tumbled to its left. Jackson, although wearing a helmet, collided headlong into the gate and fell into the snow unconscious.
    When his friends found him they immediately phoned the Sanford Fire Department and swaddled the man’s head in cloth, Turcotte said. The Sanford Fire Department notified the Maine State Police Department who, as a matter of protocol, notified the Maine Warden Service. Sanford Fire Department received the call at 7:48 p.m. and sent an engine and rescue to the scene. Upon arrival Sanford Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Rowe found Jackson dead on the scene. Warden John Lonergren and Warden Sgt. Tim Spahr arrived at approximately 8:26 p.m. and confirmed the findings.
    Although the warden service ruled out alcohol as a factor in the accident an in depth investigation is now underway. The warden service will also be examining speed as a factor in the crash.
    Jackson was born Jan. 17, 1984, the son of Paul Jackson and Debra Stevens. He attended Kennebunk schools, graduated in 2002 and was employed by DC Development and Construction LLC of Haverhill, Mass. His supervisor there, George Hester, found Jackson to be an exemplary worker and a natural with machines.
    “Oh Christopher was going some where, that is for sure. He was able to use machines without much practice, without much training. He had a knack for them, he just had a way of making things happen,” Hester said during a phone interview.
    According to his obituary released by Bibber Memorial Chapel, Jackson enjoyed “living life, tinkering with cars and computers, inventing things, working and spending time with his friends and family,” and will always be “remembered for the smile he put on the faces of those he knew.”
    His mother, Debra Stevens, said he was just beginning to come into his own – hanging out with friends and going to concerts. The snowmobiling, she said, was a new hobby for him and kept him outdoors – a welcomed and healthy lifestyle change.
    “We know people are enjoying the nice weather but as it warms up and the rains come there is an added danger. Be on the lookout for newly exposed rocks and branches, and as always wear a helmet and drive with caution,” Turcotte said.
    Turcotte is encouraging all snowmobilers to visit the Maine Snowmobile Association’s Web site www.mesnow.com for a list of safety precautions for this winter season.
    “We have a lot of snow out there, people need to keep a reasonable speed as always and always, always stay on marked trails,” Turcotte said.
    In addition to her comments, the site lays out simple ground rules for snowmobilers. First on their list is sobriety. Just as in a car, drivers of snowmobiles are required to maintain absolute sobriety on the trails. “If you manage to drink and ride and are caught before you are killed, you will be punished with mandatory jail time and fines,” according to the Web site.
    Throughout the 13,000 miles of marked trails in Maine riders are supposed to always ride on the right, this rule, according to the site, must be obeyed without exception for the safety of all riders on the trail. The site also asks riders to wear a helmet, always carry a map, bring extra clothing incase of engine failure and to always stay on marked trails.
    To contact Stowell P. Watters, call 282-4337 ext. 219 or email news@kennebunkpost.com.