Nelson warns of ATV dangers

MORROW COUNTY – A 61-year-old woman was killed, and her 9-year-old granddaughter was injured in a side-by-side crash at the Morrow County Off Highway Vehicle Park 33 miles outside of Heppner on Highway 207 Sunday afternoon. District Attorney Justin Nelson hopes this tragedy will serve as a reminder to people how important it is to be careful when operating all-terrain vehicles.

“Growing up on the farm, I didn’t wear a helmet,” he said. “I got lucky. I crashed a few times. There’s a good chance I might not be here with you today. I was stupid lucky.”

Nelson urged people to wear helmets and to operate the vehicles with care. He said one small wrong move can create a tragedy.

“You have a kid riding on an ATV, and everything looks fine,” he said. “But kids are kids. All of a sudden they look left, and their hands go left, and the steering wheel goes left, and that ATV flips over. That’s the danger. It’s all fun and games until there’s an accident.”

He said the OHV park is a benefit to Morrow County due to the people it attracts to the area. All he wants is for them to operate their vehicles safely.

Details about the accident are in a separate news release from the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office at https://elkhornmediagroup.com/woman-dies-in-utv-accident/?fbclid=IwAR223E6kiKg1oD9ff847-JfU_yA-zoGwv4Hb_XsQ0qFHjciaJIUpdzkx8e4.

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