SNOWMOBILE THEFT AND RECOVERY FOLLOWING FATAL CRASH

Buzzle Township, Beltrami County - On February 19th, 2023 at approximately 11:30AM, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a snowmobile crash at the Clearwater and Beltrami County Line on the Soo Line Trail, near the intersection of Clearline Rd NW and Soo Line Rd NW. A snowmobile had crashed with a tractor trailer resulting in serious injury to the female snowmobile operator. Law Enforcement and Emergency Medical Service personnel conducted life saving measures on the female but was declared deceased. The crash is being investigated by the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office.

Several hours after the crash, family and friends of the victim returned to the area to recover several snowmobiles that had been left at the scene. Unfortunately, one of the snowmobiles belonging to the family of the deceased was stolen. The stolen snowmobile was parked on the Beltrami County side of the county border and deputies immediately began searching for the stolen snowmobile. Beltrami County Deputies followed tracks leading west from the scene and followed up on several leads that evening.

With assistance from the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office, on February 20th a search warrant was executed at two rural addresses in Dudley Township near Leonard where snowmobile tracks matching the stolen snowmobile lead. The stolen snowmobile was located at one of the residences and charges are pending on a male and female for felony theft. The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office took possession of the snowmobile and returned it to the owner.

The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office extends our condolences to the victim’s family.

-Sheriff Jason Riggs

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