Phillips – Quick thinking – and a decision to roll off his moving snowmobile – likely saved an Avon man’s life Sunday.

It didn’t save his sled. The 2006 Arctic Cat Firecat was totaled when it slammed into a large, downed poplar tree about 4:30 p.m. Sunday on ITS 115.

John Brann, 26, of Avon and his sledding buddy, William Cummings, 44, of Phillips were returning to Phillips on their snowmobiles on the Carrabassett Valley trail when Brann’s Cat crashed into the tree.

Brann, who was leading, turned a corner, realized he would be unable to stop his sled to avoid the tree, and rolled off onto the side of the trail before impact.

“Anyone who would have been riding the snowmobile would have been killed,” Game Warden Tom Jacobs said. “Luckily, he had quick reflexes and rolled off.”

The trail, used by both snowmobilers and loggers, was clear at 1 p.m. when Brann and Cummings traveled it toward Carrabassett Valley.

That was before someone felled the tree across the trail.

Jacobs said whoever intentionally cut the tree wasn’t aware of the implications of their actions.

There were no tire tracks on the trail, only a fresh set of snowmobile tracks. Jacobs believes someone brought a chain saw with them on their sled and used it to lay the tree across the trail.

There have been no complaints from either snowmobilers or loggers about the others using the trail, he added.

Jacobs urges snowmobilers to use caution on trails, especially when rounding corners, where reduced speed can avoid accidents and injuries.

Anyone who may have been in the Carrabassett Valley trail area between 1 and 4:30 p.m. Sunday and has information regarding the tree cutting is asked to call state police at 800-452-4664.