Accident

[tanglefoot]

just got this news..

Subject: RE: Iditarod Snowmobile Dog Death

The snowmachiner was the only person who reported the incident to the Galena
troopers. The driver had left Koyukuk and was heading to Galena. He had a
passenger with him on the snowmachine. About halfway down the trail, the
snowmachiners saw a "headlight" and began looking for a place to pull off.
They came over a hill and a dog team was in front of the team that had the
visible head lamp. The snowmachiner swerved off the trail in an attempt to
avoid the team. After swerving, the machine rolled back onto the trail in
the middle of the team. It killed one dog. The snowmachine also rolled on
top of the passenger. The musher and the snowmachine driver worked to
untangle dogs and to free the passenger. No injuries were reported to any
person involved. No drugs or alcohol are suspected to be involved in the
incident. No criminal activity was found to have taken place. The
investigation is complete.

It wasn't listed on the daily dispatches because it didn't generate any type
of report. It was reported a few hours after the fact and no criminal
activity was suspected

[deafcat]

I'm so glad to hear that my evil thoughts were unjustified and that the snowmachiner turned out to be a decent person. This was a horrible accident, but could have been even more horrible.

[Happy2BeHere]

Ditto Deafcat...also relieved to learn it wasn't kids being rambunctious...

[flowerpower]

I wish they had posted that instead of leaving everyone speculating. I am sure the driver feels terrible, and thank goodness all of the people came out ok.

[tanglefoot]

ive posted it to the ITC forum as well.

[bourgeois_rage]

I wish they had posted that instead of leaving everyone speculating. I am sure the driver feels terrible, and thank goodness all of the people came out ok.

The details are not always available right away. There's always a delay in finding out the whole story.

[DustMusher]

Since Jen and Blake from the report obviously have not talked to the Troopers yet, I wonder what their side of the story is.

What the story posted says does not jibe with the report sent by Jen and Blake about them flashing their headlamps to try to warn the snowmachine driver.

There may still be more to come out Or not

Having lived with a cop for 25 years, I sure would feel more comfortable if the Troopers had heard both sides of the story before making a decision.

DustMusher

[tanglefoot]

hi gang this from another site, i didnt want to bring this up, but thought you'd like to know more, hoep you dont mind jen and blake me posting this here.



From: Jennifer Freking
Date sent: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:49:06 -0500


It should also be known that the
snowmobiler went to the checkpoint in Galena after he got his machine
running again and went to the state trooper himself.

Hello everyone,

Thank you very much for your sympathy and support after the
snowmobile
accident on the Yukon. I am pleased that it has generated some
good
discussions and ideas. If our accident can help prevent any future
accidents, at least our loss would not be in vain. We are very
fortunate that Blake, myself, and more dogs were not injured or
killed. I wanted to also inform you that we were by no means
camping.

We had just stopped our teams to snack them. I had set my hook,
walked to the front of the team, and tossed snacks to the first four dogs
when I heard the machine coming. I turned around to see it less
that 12 ft away coming straight at us at full speed. We have LED
headlamps, reflective ganglines, tugs, and necklines, reflective on all
harnesses, sled bags, sleds, and on the backs on our snowsuits. We
had everything possible except for flashing lights. I had joked to
Blake just an hour earlier that it was traffic time on the Yukon and had
thought to myself that I was happy we had taken so many
precautions with reflectives, etc. The snowmachiner had sees us earlier, but
appearantly had lost track of us. There was no hill, rise, curve,
or anything else to obstruct his view. We had 24 dogs standing in
harness waiting for their snacks... he would have seen 24 sets of glowing
eyes in his headlight. It is still hard to believe it really happened.
So, please, mushers and snowmobilers alike, be careful! Accidents
will happen, but hopefully we can help prevent others from going
through such an terrible experience.

Jen Freking

>Manitou Crossing KennelsHome of the Jedeye Racing Siberian
Huskieswww.jedeyesleddogs.com

[tanglefoot]

letter from jen and blakes mom, posted on support site.

> From: "Elizabeth Busa" <emb2338@wildblue.net>
>
> Good morning Everyone,
> (It's been) asked that someone in the family address the
> "why isn't the driver responsible for costs" question that has been
> raised by several friends privately.
> Possibly, if we persued an interstate legal action, we may, perhaps,
> get some
> judgement against this person. I have no idea if the individual...a
> teacher
> in a remote village...has insurance (are snowmobilers out in the
> Alaskan
> bush required by law to have insurance??) or the means to pay for the
> damage.
> The costs of such legal action would be astronomical.....and the vet
> bills
> we are considering pale by comparison.
> It is not likely that, considering the extent of the trauma to Aries,
> that any
> surgery will help him. Hold on to your donations for a while.....if we
> collect donations for
> surgery that never happens, we are obligated to return those funds.
> We will have a Neurosurgeon
> examine the dog and MRI the shoulder if that is recommended.
> Thursday
> is my target day for heading to the U...we will
> get accurate info and answers, as much as technology and medical
> experts can give us.
> My daughter and son-in-law are exhausted from the trip and fighting a
> virus to boot.....now at home, I hope for some much needed rest.
> Jen is talking about coming with to the U which will give me a time to
> hear her race stories and catch her germ. : )
> Thanks to everyone for your support, prayers, and kindness....that is
> very healing indeed.
> Liz

there is a fudn tio help them pay for any surgery, i will try and find out how to pay into it when the go ahead is given again - re above post- matty

[tanglefoot]

Hi Everyone,

Well, Jen and Blake are almost home!

As you've heard, Aries has no use or feeling in his left front leg
since the accident. We have contacted some of Jen's friends at the
University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital to see if they think they
can do surgery to put his nerves back together. It's a very difficult
surgery and the number of veterinary neurosurgeons who could do it are
few and far between, but there is a neurologist and board certified
neurosurgeon who are willing to try to fix Aries's leg. If Aries'
nerves are not able to heal and he has no feeling in that leg, he'll
be better off having that leg removed and getting used to life as a
"tripod". They have a new high-resolution MRI machine at the U of MN
that will help them decide if they can fix the leg innervation.

The Doctors both agree that they would like to see what kind of
function he has and that would determine where to go to fix it. The
MRI will help to pinpoint the lesion and may help to give a better
prognosis as well. An exam, new record, and MRI will probably run
$1500-1800. If they splint him that would be more, but likely under
$200. Any surgical options are going to run $1800-2000 (save
amputation which will be more like $1500).

They are ready to see Aries and start his diagnostic workup and
treatment as soon as he can get there (they get home soon!).

I know that some people expressed a desire to help Jen and Blake with
unexpected costs due to the snowmobile accident. We now have an
estimate of what it might take to help Aries heal from it... Thank you
and God bless you all for your prayers and support!

Happy Trails!
Cindy
http://www.racingsiberians.com

PS: Thank you to folks who have already sent some monetary assistance
- I know of $150 that came through paypal already. I don't know what
was sent by snail mail yet - Jen and Blake will get home and open
their mail tomorrow.

PPS: I posted a beautiful picture of Lorne and Aries on the website
Race Page and the yahoo group picture files that George took at the
start of the race.

(permission to cross-post)