CONTACT:
Conservation Officer Austin J. Valladares
603-788-4850
603-271-3361
February 12, 2024

Pittsburg, NH – On Saturday, February 10, 2024 at approximately 2:30 p.m., a New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officer was notified of a snowmobile crash in a driveway off Hillside Drive in Pittsburg. An emergency response was initiated by the Pittsburg Police Department, the Pittsburg Fire and Rescue Department, and the 45th Parallel EMS.

The 63-year-old operator was identified as Lori Bechtel of North Easton, MA. Bechtel was returning to camp when she was unable to navigate an uphill right-hand turn on an unmaintained driveway. Bechtel went down over an embankment and collided with a tree. Bechtel was ejected from her snowmobile and struck another tree. Bechtel’s riding companions immediately called 911 for assistance due to the extent of her injuries.

Bechtel was placed on a liter and with the aid of the Pittsburg Fire Department’s snowmobile and rescue sled, she was transported a short distance down the unplowed road to an awaiting 45th Parallel EMS ambulance. From there, Bechtel was transported to Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital (UCVH) in Colebrook for further evaluation of her injuries.

At this time, the investigation into the cause of the crash is still ongoing. Scene evaluation and statements from other riding companions indicates that inexperience and inattention were the leading factors leading up to the crash.