TOWNSHIP E – A Rumford man was in serious condition Friday night after crashing his snowmobile into a rock in Township E, north of Byron.

Christopher Roy, 42, was flown by helicopter to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston following the 1 p.m. wreck on a snow covered log road.

Investigators said Roy was riding with a group of snowmobilers when he lost control of his Polaris, shot off the road and struck a rock the size of a kitchen table.

The riders on the other two machines noticed that Roy was no longer behind them and turned around to look for him, according to Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife spokesman Mark Latte.

On the left side of Mott Stream Road, they found Roy on the ground near his mangled snowmobile. The two men called for help and rescuers came from Rumford, Rangeley and Roxbury

“He was conscious,” Latte said. “But he was suffering from internal injuries.”

Rescue crews had to haul Roy by snowmobile three-quarters of a mile before they were able to reach a waiting team from LifeFlight helicopter, Latte said.

Roy was taken to the Lewiston hospital, where he remained later Friday night. Maine game wardens were investigating the wreck. Latte said it appeared limited visibility, due to blowing snow following a Thursday-night storm, may have played a role in the crash.

“There was a lot of snow in the air,” Latte said.

Roy’s 2005 Polaris 700XC was demolished.

There have been two snowmobile fatalities in Maine so far this year, officials said. The latest was the death of a 40-year-old rider killed when his machine collided with a utility pole Thursday in Nobleboro.