Cbs News Reports Hide True Facts Of Deadly Crash

[ZUMBY]

My Friend and I visited the Crash Site on Plum Lake in Sayner, of the late CBS News Anchor, Randy Salerno. We wanted to see first hand what happened after watching and listening to the misinformation being supplied by CBS News. Many parts of the accounts of what happpened as supplied by another member of the Group and the News Anchor, Savini are just incorrect. We rode to the Sayner Pub and spoke to the Bartender who was present that night. We obtained a map of the Lake Trail and proceeded to do our own investigation. The Trail to Plum Lake is located just around the corner of Sayner Pub. The conditions the weekend of 2/7/08 were very similar to those the night of the crash. The area had not received any large amount of new Snow. What we found was a Lake Trail well marked, and in better condition than most other Lake Trails in the area. Being a Veteran Snowmobiler, and crossing many Lakes in my time, I can tell you that I saw nothing to indicate a poorly marked Trail existed. Furthermore, the Lake Markers were placed in the same maner as any other Lake Trail would have been, no worse. The Snowmobile that Scott Herschy was riding veered slightly off to the left of the Trail on the North end of the Lake where the Pine Tree was hit, killing Randy. The distance the Snowmobile traveled to hit the Tree indicated to us that it was traveling at a high-rate of speed. To prove this, I ran my Sled at the 55 mph limit all the way across the Lake to the north end. The Trail curves slightly to the left but is long enough to become a straight-of-way again. I was able to see the Trail's exit onto Land with no problem and come to a stop easily at that speed. The Markers were there where they should be. Then I ran my Sled across the Lake at over 100 mph. Again, I had no problem stopping before the Trail entrance. After reviewing the distance from the last Trail Marker on North end of Plum Lake, and the point of impact, it became clear to me that Scott Herschy made no attempt to slow down whatsoever. Factoring-out the Markers, the Snowmobile Tracks on the Lake would have been enough for any rider to determine the correct path. There is no other exit or any other tracks on the Lake in that back Bay to indicate otherwise. Looking at the gradual upperward slope of the exit Trail, it appears that even if they had managed to navigate this Sled onto it, at that speed, they would have wiped-out somewhere on the Trail itself. We can all just imagine all the Lake Trails we have ever been on and what would happen if we accelerated full-throttle off them. Even at night (without Markers,) you can see the shoreline on a Lake and know when you are getting close.

The next part of the CBS story that doesn't add up was an interview with one of the Group Members. He stated that they all left Sayner Pub but Scott and Randy went North instead of South to St. Germain. He too bashed the area Trail Markers among other things. What's not clear is why he, or any other Member of the Group left their Wingmen alone. Why didn't they make sure everyone knew which way to go? Why didn't they wait to guide them? Which one of these poor Leaders will stand up and take that responsibility? The Plum Lake trail goes North to Star Lake, not South to St. Germain. He mentioned the Weather being below 0 that night. I was riding that night and I remember that the Weather conditions were absolutely perfect for Snowmobiling. Everywhere we rode this past weekend, people were talking about the crash, and the News Broadcast. CBS is becoming the laughing stock of the Northwoods. As one person put it; "If you don't know how to ride a Snowmobile, go take lessons or stay home."

[PAULARIS600]

just wondering - did you do your investigating at nite. otherwise very interesting. thanks.

[Jalapenosprint]

Too many thoughts to think about.
BUT>>>>> Stop....
THINK....
Some things don't add up.
Some things are evident.
Who's right?
Who's wrong?

[snowman777]

Its easier to point the finger at the trail system then to actually stand up and say that our friend made a mistake. The news is so biased I don't care to watch it. Then when one of their own gets hurt or even dies, it becomes a big scandle. Lets blame everyone else for their problems instead of taking responsible for their actions. To bad a guy died, but it's just a way for the family to sue the trail owners and ruin it for the rest of us. Did they ever say if he was drunk or not?

[XCR440]

In my 35+ years of being on a snowmobile, seeing accidents, (and even having seen my father and brother collide head on in the back yard on snowmobiles), my experience leads me to believe that 99% of the time, when an accident occurs on a snowmobile, it is an error of the driver.

Too fast for the conditions, too fast for the visibility, or too fast for the impairments you have in your system. With that said, speed is a key factor, and is one reason why the snowmobile industry tried to regulate itself in the late 70's, by not offering a snowmobile with more than 440cc's. Obviously not enough for those of us who want to do more than 70mph, and again, will allow us to excede the speed in which we can safely control a snowmobile in adverse conditions.

I'm not one to limit us on what we can or can't ride, but as was mentioned, ultimately, WE as riders are responsible for what happens on a snowmobile. Take that responsibility with great respect for what you have under your arse......

[RyanH]

I was at crash site the day after crash on that Friday. I to seen no way this couldve happened. I seen where it happened but I had no explation why it happened. Good to see someone go put the pieces together. Its a bad deal both ways but dont bash the sled club. It like they say its not guns that kill but the people using them!!

[2doo]

what kind of helmet did the driver have, maybe iced over. Who knows-nobody. When are we going to let this guy rest? I don't want to be insensitive or anything, but just because he was a celebrity,for the media, they are trying to point the finger. As I have said before, Joe blow, not from the northwoods looses it on a turn going along a road, smacks a truck head on and nobody makes this big a deal out of it. The media is all over it because he was one of their own. Wonder how it would have been covered if he had been the driver? Wonder what the ratio of sled fatalities are compared to car fatalities?

[snowman777]

I think that we (snowmobilers as a whole) are letting him rest in peace. Well except this forum. It is his friends,i.e. Media that keep stirirng the pot. Sorry to say I've know people that have lost their life's on a sled. And it's on the local news once. PERIOD. And of course at the very end they say" And still waiting to see if Alochol was a factor". That makes the families fell really good, weather it's the case or NOT. ALL NEWS MEDIA IS BIAS. They only tell one side, their side. Kinda like the internet. Any idiot say something online, it takes another idiot to beleive its true.

[Zumbysdaughter]

This topic peaked my interest so I went ahead and finally registered.

I google searched Randy Saleno's death and found a bunch of news articles. Alot of them had the same information and a lot of the same quotes, almost as if they had copied each other.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-salerno_webjan26,0,7563350.story

This article, as most others, claims that Randy's sled had broken down and he doubled up with a friend on a single rider ski-doo.

Now, while my father, Zumby, has chosen to focus on whether or not the Lake trail had been properly marked or not, I want to focus on the crash itself.

If two grown men are riding a single rider, more often than not, the passenger has his butt hanging off the back with minimal space on the running boards and the only thing to hold on to is the driver.

If Randy's friend had made any attempt to slow down before impact, which, you'd think he would be able to see the tree line in front of him, the force of the motion of stopping or slowing down would push both men forward and the driver would be more secure on the sled being sandwiched by the passenger and the handlebars. So how is it that a sandwiched driver is thrown free from the accident while his passenger takes the full force of impact? And if the passenger's main anchor to the sled is the driver he's holding onto, why was he not thrown as well? The only way I can see the driver being thrown first is already after the impact of crash and going up and over the handlebars into the tree(s). And you would see the driver with more serious injuries. Even if they were sliding sideways after an effort to brake, you would still think the passenger would be thrown first.

Something just doesn't add up. If someone knows more about the physics of how this crash happened, please explain it to me because I'm at a loss.

[ZUMBY]

I too thought about how the Driver was thrown and not the Passenger in that crash on Plum Lake. By the News accounts, the Driver hit the Tree off to the side of it. He suffered a lacerated Liver and other internal injuries. So it supports the Theory that the Sled hit the Tree sideways or on a slight angle. This is why the Passenger took the full force of the impact and not the Driver. As the Sled turned the Passenger was projected directly into the Tree.

[ziesman1835]

I did not see the CBS report on this crash but as an accident investigator for the Michigan State Police I would like to think that a law enforcement agency took a report and did an investigation. I know in Michigan we are required to by law. If someone from the local snowmobile club could find out who investigated the crash they may be able to get them to talk to the club at a meeting about the crash. That way if there is an issue with the trail it can be looked into. It sounds like everyone is guessing about what happened based on a news report. I have seen in my ten years as a State Trooper that the news will put what ever twist they want if it gets the attention they desire. If you want real factual answers trying going to who investigated the crash.

Z-man

[tst24]

Z, here is the link for the story:

http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=39343@wbbm.dayport.com