Portland man killed, Gorham man injured in UTV crash
Oct. 16—A Portland man was killed Sunday night and a passenger from Gorham was injured when a utility terrain vehicle crashed in the Aroostook County town of Westfield.
The Maine Warden Service in a statement issued Monday identified the victim as 40-year-old Jason Wilmot of Portland. Injured in the crash was Wilmot's passenger, 44-year-old Chris Foster of Gorham. Neither man was wearing a helmet.
Mark Latti, spokesman for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said Wilmot was driving a 2022 Can Am Defender XT side-by-side UTV when he lost control on a wooded road and crashed around 10:30 p.m.
Game wardens said that as the men traveled down a gradual grade in the road, the road veered to the right with a low spot in the turn. Wilmot was unable to negotiate the turn and hit a slight embankment that caused the UTV to tip and strike a tree. Both men were ejected. Neither man was buckled in.
Wilmot was pinned under the UTV and died at the scene. Foster suffered head injuries and was transported to Northern Light AR Gould Hospital in Presque Isle. The crash remains under investigation by the Maine Warden Service. Wardens were assisted at the scene by the Mars Hill Fire Department, Central Aroostook Ambulance and Presque Isle Ambulance.
Unlike an all-terrain vehicle or ATV, commonly used for recreational purposes, a UTV is designed for work. The machines are large and powerful, and able to seat passengers side by side. They are commonly used to haul equipment and supplies in locations that make using a truck impractical or impossible.
