BERLIN –– Two men from Massachusetts were seriously injured in a rental utility terrain vehicle (UTV) crash on Sunday afternoon.
The single-vehicle rollover occurred on the Brook Road Trail in the Jericho Mountain State Park in Berlin around 3:00 p.m.
The victims have been identified as Hanyu Li, 23, of Boston, and Dezheng Hong, 26, of Quincy.
Both victims were transported to Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin.
Berlin Fire Department, Berlin Ambulance, and Berlin Police responded to the 911 call.
A conservation officer, who had been patrolling nearby Errol, also responded to the hospital while the Berlin Police conducted an on-scene investigation and spoke with witnesses.
Li, who was operating the vehicle, was riding second in a group of three machines.
He reportedly overcorrected his UTV while navigating a steep downhill corner, causing the vehicle to flip several times and strike a tree.
Both he and Hong were wearing appropriate safety gear and seatbelts, which the authorities believe prevented further severe injuries.
According to the initial investigation, speed and inexperience were the main contributing factors to the crash.
Authorities confirmed this was Li’s first time operating a UTV, and neither alcohol nor drugs were involved.
