Dad heartbroken after teen killed in snowmobile mishap
JANETVILLE -- The heartbroken father of a teenager killed when a snowmobile fell through the ice on Lake Scugog near Janetville says his daughter was the love of his life.
“She’s all I have in my life,” Steven Lumsden told Postmedia Network in a phone interview Friday, less than 24 hours after losing his only child.
Sarah Lumsden, 16, was riding on the back of a snowmobile driven by her boyfriend, also 16, travelling across Lake Scugog in an area known as View Lake when their sled ended up in the frigid water around 10:30 p.m. Thursday
The incident touched off a frantic rescue effort that brought out the best of emergency responders and regular citizens.
The boyfriend, whose name was not released, was pulled from the icy water by two people who were riding with the couple on a second snowmobile, Ontario Provincial Police said. But they could not save Sarah.
Const. Sean Hawley, of the Minden OPP detachment, said there were two people in the water when emergency crews arrived and they did all they could.
“It was a great effort,” Hawley said, applauding the pair.
Sadly, they were unable to save both Sarah and her boyfriend.
“Durham police had their helicopter there (to) light up the whole area so a rescue could take place,” Hawley said. “The OPP from Kawartha Lakes and the City of Kawartha Lakes Police, as well as local fire and EMS people were all there.”
Police believe the lead snowmobile drove into open water while the second machine managed to stop.
Hawley said the boyfriend was taken to hospital, treated and released.
Sarah was located a short time later and transported by paramedics to Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay where she was pronounced dead, he said, adding emergency responders on the scene were devastated.
Those who knew and loved the teen are also devastated.
Sarah’s dad described her as an “all-around solid kid” who loved animals.
“She was a beautiful girl, kindhearted, generous, loved her music,” Steven Lumsden said. “She always helped her dad when it came to electronic stuff.”
The Durham District School Board confirmed the girl was a student at Port Perry High School.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Sarah’s family at this time,” the board said in a statement. “Sarah was a valued member of our school community.”
The board said counsellors have been brought to the school to provide support to grieving students and staff.
Earlier this week, OPP warned riders about the dangers of snowmobiling in the wake of a recent spate of deaths.
As of Monday, there had been 13 deaths this winter compared to eight at the same time last year.
Police have linked the deaths over the last two years to riding on unsafe ice, speeding, loss of control, alcohol use and drivers not paying attention.
It’s the third snowmobile fatality on lake ice in the Peterborough area so far this year.
Jerry Douglas Eadie, 51, of Douro-Dummer Township, died Jan. 11 after his snowmobile went into the water on Stoney Lake near Hell’s Gate.
John Bernard Shaw, 52, of Ennismore, died Feb. 2 after his snowmobile went into the water on Chemong Lake at Scollard Bay.
Ontario Provincial Police said Friday there have now been eight snowmobile collisions in which someone has died and 17 in which someone has been injured since the start of the year in OPP’s Central Region, which includes Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
A man was killed Friday afternoon in a collision between a snowmobile and a train in Springwater Township, north of Barrie.
OPP officers, paramedics and Springwater Township firefighters were called to the scene just at about 1:20 p.m. Friday near McGowan and Gill roads near Midhurst.
A paramedic at the scene said two snowmobiles were involved in the crash, with one suffering life-threatening injuries and the other sustaining minor injuries.
Jeffrey Hummel, 52, of Thornton, the driver of one of the snowmobiles was transported to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie where he died of his injuries, according to Huronia West OPP Const. Mark Kinney.
It’s believed the snowmobiles were on a trail when the collision occurred, Kinney said.
The OPP’s Central Region traffic collision investigation unit is investigating.