WAXAHACHIE, Texas – A 12-year-old boy died in an ATV accident over the weekend, and the Waxahachie community is mourning his loss.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the teenagers were riding a Polaris ATV near the intersection of Boz Road and Greathouse Road in Ellis County on Sunday evening.
The ATV’s 16-year-old driver failed to stop at a stop sign and was broadsided by a pickup truck, DPS officials said.
“In this case, the pickup truck had right of way. “The ATV ran a stop sign,” stated Sgt. William Lockridge of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
According to DPS, the driver was a 16-year-old girl who was accompanied by two boys aged 12 and 14 and a girl aged 14.
According to DPS, none of them were wearing a seatbelt.
“We have traffic crashes just like anywhere else, but this is a learning opportunity for us. “These ATVs are not designed to be driven on roads,” stated Sgt. Lockridge. “They’re a lot of fun we all enjoy using them, but they’re just not meant to be on roadways.”
The pickup truck carried two 70-year-olds, a man and a woman, who were transferred to a nearby hospital.
“Obey traffic laws, and pay attention to what’s going on around you,” said Sgt. Lockridge.
Two of the teens were taken to Dallas hospitals and one of the 14-year-olds and the 12-year-old that died were taken to a Fort Worth hospital.
“For us, this is very tragic. This is a rural area with a lot of ranchers and farmers. So, this is a community that knows each other. It’s a very tragic incident,” said Sgt. Lockridge.
Lockridge stated that the event is also a teaching moment.
“When it comes to vehicles that are not intended for streets, certainly, as motorists, we must be conscious of our surroundings, but we must also consider the overall picture. “Those ATVs you see side by side are not meant for public roads,” stated Sgt. Lockridge.
At least one of the injured youngsters went to a Waxahachie ISD school.
The crash is still being investigated. DPS has not announced if anyone will face charges.
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