PELICAN RAPIDS — A North Dakota man has died in a snowmobile accident near Pelican Rapids.

Forty-year-old Jerome Kotalik of Fargo, N.D., was driving a snowmobile Tuesday afternoon when he lost control and fell off, striking his head on a parked snowmobile trailer.

Kotalik was not wearing a helmet.

The Otter Tail County sheriff’s office said the man was taking the snowmobile out for a short warm-up and likely intended to put on a helmet before going out for a longer ride with others. Helmets were sitting out at the scene.

Authorities said the snowmobile may have unexpectedly accelerated because of a mechanical failure of the throttle.