A 17-year-old was killed Monday when he struck a utility pole anchor wire while snowmobiling along Bridge Avenue.

Wednesday, December 22, 1999

A 17-year-old was killed Monday when he struck a utility pole anchor wire while snowmobiling along Bridge Avenue.

Joshua Adam Baldwin, 2110 Highland, was driving a borrowed snowmobile along Bridge Avenue just north of Richway Drive when his body struck the wire at about 5:54 p.m. Baldwin was pronounced dead at Albert Lea Medical Center.

There were no witnesses. However, students on the way to a dance saw the accident thereafter, and word quickly spread among Baldwin’s classmates. A grief counselor was contacted to talk to students at Albert Lea High School Tuesday morning, said Assistant Police Chief Dwaine WInkels.

Baldwin was a student at the Area Learning Center at the high school.

Police were investigating the cause of the accident Tuesday.

:We don’t know his level of experience, we’re investigating that,&uot; Winkels said, adding that police were also investigating speed to see if that was a factor. Baldwin had borrowed the new snowmobile from a friend.

But, Winkels said snowmobiling within city limits is always dangerous.

&uot;That’s one of the reasons you have to be really careful in town, there are all sorts of obstructions-trees, poles, guide wires, mail boxes-hat’s one of our concerns about driving a sled in city limits,&uot; he said.

Winkels said snowmobilers have to know the area they’re sledding in well, and be careful; he suggests using snowmobile trails.

&uot;It’s a tragedy-the first snowfall and someone dies,&uot; Winkels said.

Baldwin’s parents are Robin VonHagen and Allen Baldwin.