Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RALPH ANSAMI
OMA, Wis. — The Saturday snowmobile crash that claimed the life of an Oconomowoc woman remained under investigation on Monday.
Pamela A. Knaack, 52, was unresponsive when Iron County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrived at the scene in the town of Oma around 5:26 p.m., according to sheriff Tony Furyk.
Beacon Ambulance personnel were on the scene, but were unable to revive the woman.
Iron County Coroner Diane Simonich pronounced Knaack dead at the scene.
Furyk said Knaack was southbound on Trail 17, riding a 2013 Arctic Cat, when she failed to negotiate a curve and the machine struck several trees. She was traveling with her husband, who was on another machine in front of her. He wasn’t involved in the crash, about one-half mile north of the Dupont Road intersection.
Furyk said alcohol and speed are believed to be factors in the accident.
The Hurley Fire Department’s rescue unit also responded to the scene and Gogebic County Victims Services personnel were called to assist the victim’s husband.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is assisting in the accident investigation.
It was the third fatality this winter in Iron County and at least the 15th statewide.
On Dec., 30, a 45-year-old Illinois resident was killed in a crash on Trail 17, in Oma. His blood-alcohol content was .194, according to the Department of Natural Resources.
A 46-year-old Wisconsin man was killed on Jan. 27 on the Harbor Drive trail, near Saxon Harbor. Alcohol was not a factor in that 12:30 p.m. accident when the machine hit some trees at around 40 mph, according to the DNR.
The DNR’s website only records fatalities through Feb. 17.
