By Staff
CASSOPOLIS -- A Chicago man was killed in Cass County early Sunday when he apparently lost control of his snowmobile and crashed into a line of trees.
A press release issued by the Cass County Sheriff's Department reports the accident occurred on snowmobile trails east of Hess Road in Jefferson Township.
Emergency personnel were called to the scene of an accident on the trail near M-62 involving a single snowmobile operated by Blainey Butler, 31, of Chicago.
Butler was riding with friends when he apparently failed to negotiate a turn in the trail, going into a tree line.
Butler was transported by ambulance to Lakeland Hospital in Niles, where he was pronounced dead after the 1:11 a.m. incident Feb. 8.
Butler was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, which remains under investigation.
Edwardsburg fire and ambulance personnel, Southwestern Michigan Community Ambulance Service of Niles and Edwardsburg/Ontwa Township police assisted deputies at the scene.