CONTACT: Sergeant Conservation Officer Kevin Bronson 603-271-3361 February 2, 2022

Warner, NH – On February 1, 2022, at approximately 8:40 p.m., New Hampshire Fish and Game was notified by New Hampshire State Police dispatch of a snowmobile crash on Stevens Trail. This is a section of snowmobile trail close in proximity to Knoxland Equipment. The operator, identified as 61-year-old Joseph Held of Webster, New Hampshire, had struck a tree and sustained serious bodily injury.

Warner Fire and Rescue utilized their tracked utility vehicle to quickly access the crash and extricate Held. Warner Police, Hopkinton Ambulance, and a Conservation Officer also responded to the scene to give aid. After the initial investigation, evidence suggests that Held failed to negotiate a turn and crashed into a tree. It appears that speed and alcohol were the primary contributing factors to the crash. Joseph Held was subsequently arrested for felony Driving While Intoxicated.

New Hampshire Fish and Game reminds snowmobile riders to obey posted speed limits and to not mix alcohol and drugs with snowmobiles. Many snowmobile trails throughout New Hampshire are in good riding condition, so please enjoy the trails safely.