News out of Alabama

An all-terrain vehicle crash in rural northeastern Alabama killed two adults and injured seven children on Aug. 30, and remains under investigation, authorities said.

Witnesses said a side-by-side all-terrain vehicle, known as an RZR or “Razor,” with nine occupants, was driving at "a high rate of speed" when it struck another all-terrain vehicle, then overturned and hit a tree, said Sheriff Jeff Shaver of Cherokee County, Alabama.

The crash occurred at the Indian Mountain ATV Park, a private off roading park within a couple of miles of the Georgia State border.

The ATV's driver, Marcus Ragland, 34 of Rome, Georgia, died at the scene, the county's coroner, Paul McDonald announced. Four helicopters airlifted Ragland's adult passenger and three children who were in the vehicle to trauma centers in Birmingham, Alabama, more than 80 miles away, county officials said. The passenger, Ashley Brooke Hawkins, 31, also of Rome, died at University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham, McDonald said.

Ambulances took four other patients to a medical center in Rome, Georgia, more than 20 miles away.

The children ranged in ages from 1 to 12 years old, county officials said in a news release. The officials stated in a later news conference that they did not have any further information on the children's conditions.

The crash occurred in "a very remote area," where cell service and communications were a struggle, said Shawn Rogers, Cherokee County's emergency management agency director. According to its website, the off-roading park is more than 4,700 acres in size.

Even though emergency personnel had to be escorted to the remote location, Rogers said first responders arrived on scene within 18 minutes of being dispatched.

A Go Fund Me set up for the family by Jennifer Fife states Ragland was the father of 10 children, and that Hawkins was the mother of two of those children.

The accident happened on a relatively flat, old railroad bed, Shaver said, and not in one of the areas of the park with more steep terrain. He said the crash "highlights the importance of operating recreational vehicles in "a safe and responsible manner." He added that such off road vehicles, if used improperly and without following the manufacturer's instructions and guidance, can be very dangerous, Shaver said.

Tips on riding safely

An average of 800 people died each year in deaths related to off-highway vehicles, and roughly 100,000 were treated for injuries in emergency rooms from 2018 to 2020, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Off-highway vehicles include all-terrain vehicles, recreational off-highway vehicles and utility terrain vehicles.

Cherokee County officials and the Consumer Product Safety Commission offer these guidelines:

  • “Always wear your restraint system and never exceed the number of passengers your vehicle is designed for.”
  • Get hands-on training from a qualified instructor.
  • Never ride with more passengers than there are seats. 
  • Stay off roads, especially paved roads. Never ride on public roads, except to cross, where permitted by law.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol before or while driving an OHV/ATV.
  • Always wear a helmet and other protective gear, such as eye protection, boots, gloves, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

(This story was updated to include video.)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2 adults dead, 7 children injured in Alabama ATV crash

Reporting by Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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