Indiana

Daniel Riordan

NORTH WEBSTER - North Webster's town board continued discussion Tuesday night of a potential ordinance involving snowmobile and ATV traffic in town.

Currently, the town doesn't allow snowmobiles or ATVs to be driven through town though both the board and residents on hand acknowledged it still takes place.

MUNCIE -- Eric Roberson frequently drives to Brown County State Park to mountain bike on the scenic, roller-coaster-like trails.

If the Muncie Parks Board approves a plan to be presented on Tuesday, Roberson won't have to drive his knobby-tired bike to Brown County, New Castle or Anderson to find a wooded, off-road trail.

With warmer weather comes more outdoor recreational activities and in the past week alone, two young females have lost their lives in all-terrain-vehicle accidents.

Ryan Elijah spoke to Department of Natural Resources officials and also visited Heritage High School where students are grieving the loss of a classmate.

An Orland woman was injured when she was run over by an all-terrain vehicle in her driveway Friday, Orland volunteer firefighters said.

Deputies and paramedics were called just before 5:30 p.m. to a home at 6350 N. Maplecrest Drive in Orland.

Owen County's decision to allow all-terrain vehicles on county roads is raising concerns that drivers won't install safety equipment or obtain proper registrations and insurance required to make them street legal.

Acting against the advice of their attorney, county commissioners in the mostly rural county about 50 miles southwest of Indianapolis recently passed an ordinance allowing the vehicles, called ATVs, on county roads. The law becomes official if the commissioners sign it as planned at their Dec. 21 meeting.

One person is injured and taken to the hospital after he was driving an ATV and hit a deer. The accident happened around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday on Darnell School Road in Mt. Vernon. According to a release, the driver of the 4-wheeler, Cory McCune, was traveling home when he collided with the deer. The ATV overturned and McCune was thrown off onto the roadway. A passerby found McCune unconscious and called for help. McCune was taken to Deaconess Hospital where his condition is unknown at this time. Investigators say he was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.

With off-road vehicle accidents being the most common type that Indiana Conservation Officers must investigate, the Department of Natural Resources has issued general safety rules and tips for all off-road vehicles.

From January through September, 161 off-road vehicle accidents, including 108 personal injury and five fatalities, have been reported. According to the DNR, most accidents happen in the summer and fall months, when people have more recreational time to spend.

Rod Rowe

NORTH WEBSTER, Ind. – A young man who fled from sheriff’s deputies drowned early Sunday at Irish Lake.

According to a report by the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, a North Webster police officer was called to Lake Estates Mobile Home Park at 5:05 a.m. Sunday on a report of a suspicious person. Officers located an all-terrain vehicle in a roadway and a short time later a pickup truck with a trailer arrived.

As March rolls around, the return of warmer temperatures is quickly approaching.

More pleasant weather for being outdoors likely will lead to an increase in the use of all-terrain vehicles. And with that comes the reality that many people either will be unversed on safe use of those ATVs or simply will choose to ignore safety precautions.

Inattentiveness to such precautions means a user is taking a big risk of becoming a victim and a statistic.