Injured snowmobiler misses Sno-Run
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
A familiar face to those who’ve attended AMHC’s Andy Santerre Sno-Run Dinner and Auction was injured while snowmobiling with Santerre and friends just days before this year’s event.
GET WELL WISHES were penned by many for longtime supporter Michael “Tex” French during AMHC’s 9th annual Andy Santerre Sno-Run dinner and auction at The Crow’s Nest in Presque Isle. French was injured in a snowmobile accident just days before the dinner. Here, Bob Besaw, president of the Presque Isle Snowmobile Club, pens a note to French, while Santerre talks with Darrell Wallace and Shawn Martin at the autograph table.
“Michael French, 65, of South Carolina, was riding with a group of five or six snowmobiles on ITS 92 in St. Francis on Thursday, Feb. 7. The group was headed east at approximately 3:20 p.m. when Mr. French failed to negotiate an icy left-hand corner in the trail as he was preparing to cross a snowmobile bridge. The sled and operator slid into the metal railing on the bridge,” said Warden Dan Menard, of the Maine Warden Service.
According to Menard, French suffered a broken right leg. The sled had moderate damage.
“Speed and alcohol were not factors,” said Menard.
Santerre took time during the Feb. 9 dinner, held at The Crow’s Nest in Presque Isle, to reassure those in attendance who knew French that his friend was OK. He told of how he and a group of friends decided to take a ride and have lunch up in The Valley. Despite cold temperatures and poor visibility in spots, the friends headed out. A broken shock on one of the machines resulted in a few delays, with makeshift repairs performed so the group could continue. With the meal finished, the riders headed out for their return trip.
“On the way back, Tex (French’s nickname) was ahead of me. He’s good at a lot of things, but not snowmobiling. Within a mile of the store he hit the bridge. He tore off the side of the sled and hit his knee, then fell down the bank. He was talking but we had to get him away from the running water,” said Santerre.
Santerre said Darrell Wallace (another friend from the world of racecars) rode to get a signal to call 9-1-1, while Kirk Thibeau and his wife rode ahead to get Santerre’s truck.
“Robert (Darrell’s brother) and I stayed with Tex. Help arrived and took Tex to the hospital. He’s now downstate, being treated for a broken femur,” said Santerre.
He said his friend was doing better but wished he could have attended the dinner as planned.
“He’s been texting me tonight to tell me ‘Don’t worry about me, I’m fine,’” said Santerre.
This marks the first year anyone associated with the annual event has been injured. Santerre said this was just an unfortunate accident and that he and his friends look forward to returning to the area to enjoy snowmobiling again.
