West Virginia

Jim Helmkamp

In December a West Virginia mother pleaded not guilty to child neglect charges stemming from an all-terrain vehicle wreck in which her two-year-old son was hurt. She ran off the road into a ditch, and the ATV flipped several times, according to police reports.

Also last year, John Rowe, the 24th ATV-related death of 2008, was critically injured when his ATV hit another ATV on a public roadway in McDowell County . Rowe, under the influence of alcohol at the time of his crash, died five days later in a Charleston hospital. His death underscores that ATV riding is a risky behavior.

Cheryl Caswell

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A Sissonville, W.Va., mother pleaded not guilty to charges of child neglect relating to injuries her toddler suffered after being thrown from an all terrain vehicle.

Tara Thaxton, 22, of Allen's Fork was indicted by a grand jury in September on charges of child neglect resulting in substantial injury or death and gross child neglect resulting in injury.

Jean Braithwaite

ELK GARDEN - Once again an item on the agenda for the November Elk Garden town council meeting was the subject of 4-wheelers on the streets of the community.

Mayor Lawrence “Buddy” Stonebraker told the council members about those that race their 4-wheelers on town streets all hours of the day, by saying, “These kids have no respect for our community.”

Justin Anderson

CHARLESTON W.Va. -- The Kanawha County Sheriff's Department is cracking down on people riding all-terrain vehicles on county roads, and they say the effort is paying off.

Over the last month and a half, deputies have impounded about 20 ATVs and issued about 40 citations, said Sgt. Jeff Meadows.

WELCH, W.Va. -- Officials with Norfolk Southern Co. say a problem with all-terrain vehicle riders cruising along train tracks is getting worse.

Brian Kahle, a special agent for the company's police department, said train tracks in southern West Virginia are being damaged by ATV riders.

April Vitello

CHARLESTON -- This year's all-terrain vehicle safety bill died because it lacked safety measures, the House Roads and Transportation chairwoman said Thursday.

Chairwoman Lidella Hrutkay, D-Logan, said she left the measure off Tuesday's agenda because it was a mess when it arrived from the Senate last month.