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Press Releases

February 8, 2008

Five Snowmobilers From New York Presumed Lost Near Greenville Are Located

Augusta, Maine – Five snowmobilers from New York state who called a friend to say they were lost early this morning in the Greenville area have been located.

Around 12:40 a.m. today (Friday, Feb. 8), one of the five men called two acquaintances at a Bingham hotel to say they were lost en route from a Greenville bar to the hotel. A family member also was called, according to Sgt. Christopher Simmons of the Maine Warden Service.

The Maine Warden Service was notified of the missing men at approximately 9 a.m. and initiated a search. The five men returned to the Bingham hotel at approximately 2:30 p.m. today.

It was snowing in the Greenville area throughout the night and today and visibility was a concern.

The names of the men are:

  • Lee Mazzola, 51, of Marlborough, N.Y.
  • James Mannese, 50, of Milton, N.Y.
  • Joseph Mannese, James’ son, 28, of Milton, N.Y.
  • Robert Lattimore, 43, of Newburgh, N.Y.
  • Timothy Roberts, 49, of Marlborough, N.Y.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the five men told two acquaintances at North Country Rivers in Bingham, where they were staying, that they were going out riding. They did not specify their route, according to Maine Warden Service Sgt. Ralph Hosford.

Less than three hours later – at approximately 8 p.m. – one of the men, using a cell phone, called a family member to say they were in a Greenville bar right on Moosehead Lake and that they had been drinking.

Around 12:40 a.m. today, one of the men called the two acquaintances and said they were lost and low on fuel.

According to Sgt. Simmons, the men left the Moosehead Lake area and headed south on an ITS trail. They missed a turn that leads to Forks and Bingham, but made it to where the trail crosses Route 154 near Harmony around 3 a.m. The men’s snowmobiles were out of gas, and they waited along the road hoping to flag down someone for help. A motorist stopped, but the men noticed a lodge down the road and decided to walk down to it. There were two rooms left, and the men checked in for the night.

Earlier today, the men fueled up their snowmobiles and headed back towards the Bingham hotel. They arrived around 2:30 p.m. Sgt. Simmons was at the hotel and spoke with the men about snowmobile safety.

“This information is good for all snowmobilers,” Simmons said. “Make sure you let people know where you’re going in case you get into trouble and then let them know if you’ve arrived safely.”

The Maine Warden Service’s search included trying to reach the men on their cell phones, contacting Greenville bars and hotels, and working with a cell phone company to figure out the closet tower for the men’s cell phone signals, and staying in touch with their family members if the men were trying to contact them. The MWS’s airplane was on standby for when the weather cleared and other wardens were en route.