Jury rules in favor of Polaris in snowmachine suit

NOME (AP) -- A Nome Superior Court jury has ruled in favor of Polaris Industries in a case between the company and the estate of a Shaktoolik man.

Tony Sagoonick died four years ago while riding a Polaris snowmachine.

The jury reached its verdict late Wednesday, voting 11-1 on behalf of Polaris, KNOM radio reported.

Sagoonick left Shaktoolik for Unalakleet on Nov. 8, 1996, on a recently-purchased Polaris Indy Super Sport. During the trip the snowmachine's oil injection system failed and the engine seized, leaving Sagoonick stranded, according to court documents. Sagoonick tried to walk back to Shaktoolik but died of hypothermia.

The suit sought at least $1 million in compensatory damages, plus unspecified punitive damages. The suit claimed that the oil injection system on Sagoonick's snowmachine had failed two previous times and that it was a result of defective design and manufacture, using a plastic drive gear instead of steel.

The suit also alleged that Polaris knew about the defect but failed to advise owners.

Jurors found that Polaris was not negligent.