Verde Valley AZ (March 25, 2014) – PRELIMINARY INFORMATION –
On March 21, 2014, around 4:30 PM, deputies were called to a single vehicle/ATV accident on Forest Road 525, less than a mile east of Boynton Pass Road, Sedona, Arizona. Upon arrival, deputies found Sedona Fire personnel treating an 18-year-old Tempe man for foot and shoulder injuries. The man was a passenger in a ‘side-by-side’ (driver and passenger seats positioned parallel to each other) type ATV which had come to rest on its side after rolling. The ATV’s driver’s seat was found lying on the road near the incident. This victim was airlifted to Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment.
The driver of the ATV, a 29-year-old man from Oklahoma, told deputies both he and his injured friend were wearing seats belts while off-roading in the rented ATV. The driver claimed his speed was reasonable at the time of the accident. He did recall the ATV starting to slide in loose gravel and when he attempted to correct the movement through steering, the ATV began to tip and eventually rolled about 3 times. Although wearing a seatbelt, he was ejected when the seat detached from its mounting brackets resulting in facial cuts and a hand injury. His friend, who was seat belted, remained inside the cab until assisted out by friends pending arrival of medical help. The driver was transported to the Sedona Medical Center for treatment.
Deputies spoke to several potential witnesses who were unable to explain what caused the rollover. Additionally, deputies could not find any obvious road obstructions which could have been a factor.
On March 22, 2014, at approximately 10:45 PM, YCSO deputies were dispatched to the south end of Rio Vista Drive off Freemont Drive in Cordes Lakes, Arizona, regarding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident. Mayer Fire Department personnel were already on scene and found an ATV rolled over on top of a male adult apparently causing the man’s death. Alcohol may have been a factor in this incident.
A report on the incident is pending and once available, details will be updated in a future media release. We appreciate your understanding.
Citizens can contact the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office with information or questions at 928-771-3260 or the YCSO website: www.ycsoaz.gov
