Two County men charged after "mudding" on ATV trail

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25 April 2012

AROOSTOOK COUNTY– Maine Forest Service (MFS) Forest Rangers charged two northern Maine men Wednesday in connection with damage done to an ATV trail by their motor vehicles.

T 17 R3 Mudding 1

STUCK IN THE MUD -Two pickup trucks were found Tuesday mired on an ATV trail in Township 17, Range 3, west of Van Buren. The owners have been charged by the Maine Forest Service Forest Rangers with operating a passenger vehicle on an ATV trail. The land is owned by Irving Woodlands Ltd. - image courtesy of the Maine Forest Service

Ryan O’Neal, 29, of Fort Fairfield and Kyle Sirois, 20, of Fort Kent have each been charged with operating a passenger vehicle on an ATV trail, a Class E crime punishable by up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.

MFS Forest Rangers, in addition, often ask for court-ordered restitution for the cost of repairing the damaged caused by this type of activity. Both men will appear in July Maine District Court inFortKent.

MFS Forest Ranger Craig Caron was on patrol Tuesday when he found truck tracks on an ATV trail in Township 17, Range 3, west of Van Buren, according to MFS Sgt. Lance Martin of thePortageoffice.

On further investigation, Caron discovered two pickup trucks that became stuck as they drove down the ATV trail. He interviewed the drivers and determined that they were out “mudding,” or intentionally operating their vehicles on the trail. They had traveled about 150 yards on the trail before getting stuck.

The land on which Caron discovered the alleged “mudders” is owned by Irving Woodlands Ltd., the state’s largest landowner.

“The forest management staff at Irving was very concerned when I notified them about this issue, as there is a stream nearby and they did not want any siltation to enter the water,” Caron said. He later determined that no siltation had in fact reached the stream. Siltation can damage water sources and fish habitats.

Investigation of and enforcement regarding such incidents is part of the responsibility of the Maine Forest Service Forest Rangers. To report instances of mudding, call the Maine Forest Service at 1-800-750-9777.

For more information about the Maine Forest Service, go to: http://www.maineforestservice.gov

For more information about the Maine Forest Rangers, go to: http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/ffchome.htm

Comments

St, John Valley Times

can anyone tell me what ever happened to the St. John Valley Times? Does the Fort Kent area have a local, print paper? thanks Rangdrol
Submitted by Rangdrol on 25 April 2012 - 10:30pm.

SJVT still there

Dear Rangdrol, Fiddlehead Focus produces a small print paper each week that services the entire St. John Valley, including Fort Kent, though we are primarily a web-based news source. The web provides us the means to produce daily content and to report on news as it's breaking, keeping our readers informed up-to-the-minute. We strive to provide comprehensive, informative, and entertaining news coverage. We pride ourselves in the quality of work and the St. John Valley has responded with appreciation for our effort to bring them the news. The St. John Valley Times is primarily a weekly newspaper with publication on Wednesday. I hope this helps to answer your question. Respectfully, Monica Pettengill Jerkins Editor, Fiddlehead Focus
Submitted by sleddingmaine on 26 April 2012 - 9:17am.

“The forest management staff

“The forest management staff at Irving was very concerned when I notified them about this issue, as there is a stream nearby and they did not want any siltation to enter the water,” Caron said. He later determined that no siltation had in fact reached the stream. Siltation can damage water sources and fish habitats." Ya right :-/ I've seen more damage to the trout streams / brooks on their woodlands from lumbering over the years that these two pickup trucks could've ever done here... The Wallagrass stream was running VERY brown this spring, I've lived here for nearly 30 years and this was the worst spring runoff ever :-/ When it dries up take a ride out on their woods operation this summer and tell me there isn't / won't be any "siltation" problems :-o Not to to take away from what these two young men did was very irresponsible of them :-/
Submitted by boww8t on 26 April 2012 - 8:12am.