UPDATE: Local snowmobile club groomer paved the way from accident scene to medevac site

BOONVILLE- A groomer from a local snowmobile club played a critical part in saving time during the immediate aftermath of a serious snowmobile crash just outside of Boonville over the weekend.

According to Assistant Fire Chief for Boonville Fire Department, Dean Yauger, emergency responders found a critically injured snowmobiler at the scene of the accident.

The crash occurred on Trail C4E at just after 8:30 p.m. Saturday, officials clarified.

At first, responding emergency authorities were dispatched to the West Leyden Road, but ended up being flagged down on Route 294.

This scenario allowed resources to be re-directed without losing any time, Yauger said.

“Snowmobile trails wind and turn so much that just because a cell-phone pings there, it doesn’t mean that help can drive to you,” Yauger explained.

“We were able to figure out quickly the location and best access.”

This is where a local snowmobile club played a key role with this accident.

Chief Yauger told us the big groomer for Lost Trail Snowmobile Club happened to be nearby.

The groomer ended up making a direct path from the scene of the crash to the medevac site.

“This saved a great deal of time,” Yauger emphasized.

At the same time, members from the riding group were all picked up and taken to the Lost Trail groomer barn, where they were able to warm up and contact family to come pick them up.

Yauger said they were all from out of the area.

The New York State Police announced updates late Monday, when investigators said Michael B. Ponza, age 41, from Camillus, NY, was operating a 2012 Ski-Doo MXZ snowmobile on the trail when he failed to negotiate a turn and struck a tree.  

Ponza was thrown from the snowmobile and pronounced deceased at the scene.  

All responding agencies worked together seamlessly throughout the incident, Yaguer said.