CONTACT:
Conservation Officer Robert M. Mancini, Jr.
603-788-4850
603-271-3361
January 21, 2020

Gorham, NH – At approximately 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, January 18, 2020, a male operator sustained minor injury when the rental snowmobile he had been operating went over a bump, grazed a tree, and veered off the trail. Upon losing control, the operator fell off the snowmobile backwards. The collision occurred on Trail 116 in the Town of Gorham. The operator of the snowmobile was identified as Ahsan Suleyman Ali, age 24, of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Emergency personnel were notified of the collision by a friend of the operator who contacted 911. Upon notification of the incident, medical personnel from Gorham Fire/Emergency Medical Services, a Trooper with the New Hampshire State Police, and Conservation Officers from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department responded to the scene. EMS personnel transported the injured party from the scene, approximately one half mile to a waiting ambulance staged on Jimtown Road. Ultimately, Ali was transported by ambulance to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin for further evaluation and treatment.

Based on information gathered at the scene of the collision, it appears that operator inexperience was the primary contributing factor in the collision. Ali was wearing a helmet, but had never operated a snowmobile prior to the incident. Alcohol and drugs were not a factor in the collision.

According to Conservation Officer Robert Mancini, “Recent snow fall has allowed many of the trails in the northern part of the State to open; however, trail users should expect early season riding conditions. Grooming operations are ongoing, but many trails are icy underneath the new snow and operators should exercise caution. It is critical for people recreating on snowmobiles to ride within their ability levels. Most importantly trail users should follow one another at a safe distance in an effort to be able to see and avoid potential hazards along the trail.”

For more information about safe riding, please visit www.ride.nh.gov.