 |
 |
Indiana Man Dies in ATV Accident
Thursday, October 13, 2005 10:08 PM EDT
Orangeburg Volunteer Fire Department and the Maysville/Mason County EMS responded to a call for help at Big Rock ATV and Dirt Bike Park on Stonelick Road in Mason County a little after 2 p.m., Thursday.
Orangeburg firefighters, who had already scheduled a mock rescue at the park for the upcoming weekend, responded with a rescue unit. Bought just for the type of rescue the ATV park may require, the Orangeburg department also brought its six wheel Polaris Ranger ATV that had been modified with a bigger roll cage, deck and rescue gear. Firefighters called for an air ambulance and headed down the trail.
Converted from a family farm, the more than 2,000-acre facility has more than 12 miles of trails ATV enthusiasts of all skill levels can follow, said Duke Ford, operator of the park.
Cautionary signs are posted in prominent locations along with rules for riders.
Many trails are marked with identifying numbers so riders can report incidents. There are seven marked landing zones for air ambulances, said park employee Charlie McCall.
"That worked this time. One of the guys who was with him remembered the number so we knew where to go," said McCall, who used another ATV and a trailer to retrieve the victim's mangled Yamaha Kodiak 400 ATV.
Once the crew got to the victim, the helicopter was called off and a request was made for the coroner.
Ford declined further comment on the accident and referred questions to the coroner and Mason County Deputy Sheriff Tim Nolder, both of whom were at the scene.
Clyde W. Conn, 63, of West Harrison, Ind. was pronounced dead at 3:45 p.m. by Assistant Coroner David Lawrence.
Conn had been riding up a steep trail when the accident happened, said Mason County Sheriff Tony Wenz.
"His vehicle failed to clear the top of the steep embankment. According to one of the other riders, Conn's vehicle turned sideways as he grabbed for the handle bars to try to help his friend clear the crest. It began to roll, taking Conn with it. It rolled about 200 feet, side over side and it appears that he rode it almost all the way down. He may have gotten caught in the wreckage and was unable to get free. He has multiple injuries." said Lawrence.
A group of riders emerged from the trails before the recovery team. They were unaware of the severity of the accident and had passed the recovery team. Some of them had spoken with Conn and his friends earlier in the day and were shocked at the accident.
"They were just some guys out having a nice day and now this," said Chris Bonaminio of Cincinnati.
He described the trails as a dealer's choice with different trails for different skill levels.
According to a report recently released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Kentucky is leading the nation in ATV-related deaths, with 106 reported so far this year. Kentucky is followed by West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
The accident is still under investigation by the Mason County sheriff and coroner.
Contact Wendy Mitchell at wendy.mitchell@lee.net or call 564-9091, ext. 370.
Copyright © 2008 Maysville Newspapers, Inc., A Lee Enterprises Publication This site is protected by applicable copyright laws and no part may be reproduced, transmitted or used in any way other than its intended purpose without the prior written permission of The Ledger Independent. Click here to view The Ledger Independent's privacy policy. Click here to view current print advertisements. |