18-year-old man killed in snowmobile crash on Gull Lake

An 18-year-old man was killed in a snowmobile crash on Gull Lake in Cass County on Friday, Feb. 19. 

The man from Mendota was riding a 1997 Arctic Cat snowmobile when he crashed into the northwest side of the rocky and wooded shoreline of Birch Island around 11:18 p.m., the Cass County Sheriff's Office said. 

One of the man's friends who was riding in the area began CPR and first responders continued life-saving efforts at the scene. He was then flown to a hospital in St. Cloud, where he was declared dead. 

The victim hasn't yet been identified. 

The Cass County Sheriff's Office says this is the fourth serious snowmobile crash in the county this month, prompting the sheriff to remind riders to "use extreme caution on trails and lakes, especially in areas that you may not be familiar with."

"Remember that you should never ride alone, dress for safety and survival, slow down and stay to the right on the trail or ditch, don’t drink alcohol and ride, use caution when traveling on frozen waterways, always respect private property and stay on the marked trail systems," the sheriff's office said.

In the 2019-2020 season, there were 11 fatal snowmobile crashes in Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says.