Over the weekend, a former A.C. Reynolds High School football player was critically injured in an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) crash in Fairview. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, the incident happened on Sunday morning at a family member’s property. After the brakes reportedly went out on his ATV, 21-year-old Dakota Owenby crashed into a tree. Although very few details about the ATV wreck have been reported, but we do know that there was a passenger on the ATV at the time of the crash. She was ejected from the vehicle. The handlebars turned and impaled Owenby on impact.
Former A.C. Reynolds Football Player Injured in ATV Crash
Owenby reportedly lost a lot of blood and suffered from a puncture wound to his left leg, which severed the artery completely. He was rushed to Mission Hospital for treatment, where waiting rooms quickly filled with family members and friends. At this time, there has been no word on how the brakes malfunctioned on his four-wheeler. The cause of this ATV crash could still be under investigation to determine why the brakes didn’t work.
ATV Crash Statistics
- In 2014, there were an estimated 93,700 ATV-related emergency room visits in the U.S.
- About 26 percent of those hospital visits were for children under the age of 16.
- Between 1982 and 2014, there were 13,617 ATV-related fatalities across the U.S.
- 23 percent (3,098) of those fatalities involved children younger than 16 years of age.
- In 2014, there were 385 ATV-related deaths reported.
Defective ATVs and ROVs
We recently reported on the latest recall of Polaris Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs). All 2016 Polaris RZR XP Turbo and RZR XP 4 Turbo models are currently being recalled for a defective turbo system that poses a fire hazard to drivers and passengers. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that at least six people have suffered from burn injuries on these ROVs, including a severe burn injury to a child. If you suspect a manufacturing or design defect was the cause of your ATV or ROV accident, you need to get in touch with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible about your case. It’s also important to report the incident to the CPSC and to the vehicle’s manufacturer.
The team at Davis Law Group, P.A. wishes Dakota Owenby a swift and full recovery from his injuries.