(WWJ) - Two people from neighboring states were killed within as many days after they both crashed their snowmobiles in the Upper Peninsula this week, authorities said.
Troopers from Michigan State Police Wakefield Post reported the death of an Illinois woman, identified as Cindy Zihaveah, 60, of Antioch, on Wednesday, March 8 after she lost control of her snowmobile.
According to state police, the Illinois native was on Trail 1 in Gogebic County’s Marenisco Township close to the Michigan-Wisconsin border when she went around a turn and left the trail.
Trooper said Zihaveah hit a snowbank and was tossed into the air, striking several trees -- authorities immediately started life-saving procedures when they arrived, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation at this time. Troopers did not say if speed or alcohol and drugs were factors in the incident.
Excessive speed was a factor in the second snowmobile crash that killed Nathan Stearns Hohman, 52, of Ohio the following day, the Alger County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies reported Hohman was traveling on Trail No. 8, about 1 mile south of H-58 in Burt Township at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday when he also failed to navigate a curve.
An investigation revealed the 52-year-old hit a tree that stood adjacent to the trail. The man was ejected from the machine upon impact and stuck the same tree again.
"The victim sustained significant injuries and was pronounced at the scene," the sheriff's office said.
As of mid-February, Michigan has seen at least 14 killed in snowmobile crashes for the 2022-23 season as reported by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, with the majority occurring in the Upper Peninsula.
Not taking into account fatal snowmobile crashes within the last 30 days, the 14 fatalities had already passed the state’s toll of 13 snowmobile fatalities in 2021-22 and 12 in 2020-21.