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Poteau Boy Killed In ATV Accident

LEFLORE COUNTY (KFSM) — A 10-year-old Poteau boy is dead after sustaining a head injury while driving an all-terrain vehicle Sunday (March 12), according ...

LEFLORE COUNTY (KFSM) -- A 10-year-old Poteau boy is dead after sustaining a head injury while driving an all-terrain vehicle Sunday (March 12), according to Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

According to OHP, the boy was driving a Polaris ATV west on County Road 290 near Poteau, and passed another ATV with three children between five and 14.

The 14-year-old driver of the other ATV attempted to turn into a driveway and was struck by the 10-year-old boy, according OHP. The boy was partially ejected and pinned underneath the ATV for some time.

The children on the other ATV were not injured, according to OHP.

One of the passengers on the other ATV helped free the boy before he was taken to Poteau Hospital where he was initially listed in critical condition, according to OHP.

He was later taken by an emergency helicopter to a Tulsa hospital where he died from the head injury he sustained.

While the LeFlore County Sheriff's Office did not work the crash, they do have some safety tips regarding four-wheelers:

  • Stick to main trails
  • Do not go off-roading far where steep hills and cliffs may be
  • Keep the ATV at a minimum speed
  • Wear a helmet/seatbelt
  • Do not let children ride unsupervised

According to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, 12 ATV crashes happened between 2014 and 2016 in LeFlore County. Two of those crashes resulted in death. There were 90 ATV crashes in the state of Oklahoma in 2016 alone. Four fatalities were reported last year.

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