Fatal ATV crash in Addison County

An 84-year-old Vermont man was trapped inside the cockpit after his glider crashed in the White Mountain National Forest in Benton yesterday afternoon, the Journal-Opinion reports. 

Henry Swazye, of Tunbridge, was returning to Post Mills after traveling to Cannon Mountain in Franconia when he encountered trouble getting lift around Hogsback in the Benton Range, according to the NH Fish and Game Department. During his last attempt at getting lift he hit a downdraft and crashed near the saddle of the Hogsback around 4:20 p.m.

Swazye was uninjured but was inside the cockpit hanging from a tree approximately 20 feet from the ground. Luckily, he had cell service and was able to text 911 to request assistance.

Conservation Officers, U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and rescue personnel from Haverhill Fire, Hanover Fire and Lebanon Fire departments responded to Long Pond Road to assist in the extraction.

Rescuers accessed the U.S. Forest Service road to within a half-mile of Swayze. The first rescuers reached him before 7 p.m. and began to plan his extraction. Fire department personnel set up a pulley and harness system to lower Swayze from the tree. Swayze and the rescue personnel were back at the road by 9:50 p.m.

The FAA was given Swayze’s information and location for further investigation. -Journal-Opinion

Fatal ATV Crash – On June 1 at 8:28 PM, Vermont State Police received a report of an ATV crash into a field at 708 East Road in Panton. Driver Colin Hossink, 23, of Vergennes succumbed to injuries resulting from the crash. East Road was closed at the location of the crash for six hours while members of the VSP Crash Reconstruction Team processed the scene.

Police say the weather was clear and the roads were dry. The ATV was lightly damaged. The crash is under investigation.