ATV accident in Warner Valley critically injures juvenile driver

Stock image, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — A camping trip turned tragic Friday night when a 14-year old juvenile rolled the all-terrain vehicle he was driving, got pinned beneath it and sustained critical injuries.

Washington County Sheriff Sgt. Darrell Cashin told St. George News that the call came in around 8 p.m. He said Washington County Search and Rescue, Utah State Park Rangers, Hurricane Valley Fire EMS and Intermountain Life Flight all responded to the scene.

A Google maps image of the scene of an ATV accident in Warner Valley, Utah, May 7, 2021 | Image by St. George News

The teenager was on a camping trip with his father, brother and another teenager, Cashin said. The other juvenile and the driver were in the ATV driving in the Purple Hills area in Warner Valley, a remote area about 500 or 600 feet north of Warner Valley Road.

Cashin said the driver may have been going a little too fast in an area with many hills, bluffs and bumps and rolled the ATV. The driver was ejected from the vehicle and the ATV landed on top of him.

“I’m assuming he wasn’t wearing a seatbelt or helmet,” Cashin said.

EMS officials arrived first at the scene, Cashin said, and were able to treat the juvenile driver but he never regained consciousness and remained in critical condition. He was flown to St. George Regional Hospital on the Life Flight helicopter.

The other juvenile occupant of the ATV sustained bumps and bruises but was conscious and able to leave the scene after the crash, Cashin said.

As of late Saturday morning Cashin did not know the status of the juvenile driver other than to say he was still in critical condition.

Cashin noted that ATV accidents have been more frequent recently.

‘I’d just like to remind people to wear seatbelts and helmets,” Cashin said. “A lot of times these inexperienced ATV drivers don’t understand how powerful these vehicles are and tend to overdrive the machine. Don’t try to do too much.”

This report is based on statements from law enforcement personnel and may not contain the full scope of the findings.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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