Chris Egan injured in sled chase in Pittsburg

[pathfinder 96]

NH Conservation Officer Injured in Pittsburg Snowmobile Crash

NH Fish and Game Officer Christopher Egan was injured in a snowmobile accident in Pittsburg while chasing two violators.

 

• Jeffrey Hastings, News Partner

• Posted Tue, Jan 19, 2021 at 9:03 am ET|Updated Tue, Jan 19, 2021 at 9:13 am 

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NH Fish and Game Officer Christopher Egan was injured in a snowmobile accident in Pittsburg while chasing two violators (NH FIsh and Game)

PITTSBURG, NH — A NH Fish and Game Conservation Officer was injured in a snowmobile accident in Pittsburgh, NH on Monday.

NH Conservation Officer Christopher Egan of Pittsburg crashed his snowmobile on Trail 139 in Pittsburg around 5:20 p.m. Egan was on active snowmobile patrol, travelling south, just north of the First Connecticut Lake Dam, when he witnessed two apparent violations pass him going in the opposite direction.

After witnessing these violations, Egan travelled to an opening in the trail and reversed direction. Egan told investigators he was in the process of catching up to the snowmobiles in violation and navigating a bumpy stretch of the trail when the incident occurred.

While going over the bumps, he said that he lost his footing from the running board, causing his right leg to come off his snowmobile and come in contact with the trail. Subsequently falling off the snowmobile and suffering a lower leg fracture. He did not sustain any other injuries.

After the injury, Egan was able to move himself to the side of the trail and radio for assistance. During this time, he was encountered by three good Samaritans who rendered aid until rescuers arrived on the scene.

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Pittsburg Fire-Rescue, 45th Parallel EMS, Conservation Officers and New Hampshire State Police responded to the scene. Egan was transported to Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook for initial treatment.

The crash is under investigation by New Hampshire State Police and is still ongoing.
New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division would like to thank New Hampshire State Police, Pittsburg Fire-Rescue, and 45th Parallel EMS for their care and professionalism.

Egan will need time to heal but is in high spirits and looking forward to coming back to work as soon as possible.

[Saluda 110]

Good guy, hate reading this crap.

[BigGuyNH 21]

Thoughts and Prayers to Chris Egan

[ICG 7]

What a double standard!

Anyone else,  and it just would be,  

riding too fast for trail conditions...

[Saluda 110]

He got hurt doing his job. Idiots he was chasing should have stopped.

[jhwentworth 307]

The officer took on a known risk, operating at high speed on the trail, in exchange for the possibility of apprehending a lawbreaker. Many police forces still  do that on public roads, but some have rules against it. I guess F&G doesn't have a policy that prevents it. Let's face it, if F&G enforcement sees a guy speeding or driving recklessly and goes in hot pursuit, is it more likely the guy will slow down or speed up? Tough call, but if the guy speeds up there's now two sleds travelling at high speed on the trail. Does that increase or decrease trail safety? Does the public gain of catching and punishing a speeder exceed the possible loss from a high-speed accident? When I drive on !-93 during commute hours the traffic is moving at 75-80 mph, or more,,  and the state troopers ignore it because the disruption of a chase and arrest would increase the danger of serious accidents. Catching a speeder sometimes isn't worth the risk, especially if I'm the one who's speeding.

[Saluda 110]

Didn't think we knew what the offense was or the speed he was operating at. Not for me to judge. Anyone with a heart or brain should have stopped. Hate to think anyone can get away just by refusing to stop.

[rossi46 90]

Just to clarify, there was never a "chase". Officer Egan wasn't able to get turned around immediately and had a lot of ground to make up. It's entirely possible that the violators never even knew he was trying to stop them.

To jhwentworth's point...there are often high speed chases on the trail that F&G will abandon if the speeds are exceedingly dangerous.

Best wishes to Chris for a speedy recovery. He truly is a great guy.

[Saluda 110]

14 minutes ago, rossi46 said:

Just to clarify, there was never a "chase". Officer Egan wasn't able to get turned around immediately and had a lot of ground to make up. It's entirely possible that the violators never even knew he was trying to stop them.   I read it differently.

To jhwentworth's point...there are often high speed chases on the trail that F&G will abandon if the speeds are exceedingly dangerous.

Best wishes to Chris for a speedy recovery. He truly is a great guy.   I agree.

 

[jhwentworth 307]

I'd believe that if he was catching up to the violators he was traveling fast, otherwise there was no hope of catching them.  Don't take my comments as an attack on the F&G officer, I'm saying that there are risks in high speed chases that will vary with the conditions and the skill of the operator.

[smallengineguy 88]

Too bad, hope for a full recovery.