2 GA Residents Killed, 7 Children Injured In ATV Crash In AL

CHEROKEE COUNTY, AL — Two Georgia residents were killed and seven others were injured over the weekend in a crash at an Alabama ATV park, according to officials.

Shortly before 3:50 p.m. on Saturday, Cherokee County authorities received multiple calls reporting an accident at Indian Mountain ATV Park in Piedmont, Alabama.

When authorities arrived, Cherokee County Emergency Management Director Shawn Rogers said they discovered that a side-by-side RZR carrying nine occupants had collided with another RZR, then overturned and struck a tree.

The driver, identified as 34-year-old Marcus Ragland of Rome, was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the ATV — Ashley Brooke Hawkins, age 31, also of Rome — was taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died.

Seven children riding in the ATV were also injured, authorities said. Their ages ranged from 1 to 12 years old.

All the victims were from Georgia, McDonald said.

Three of the children were taken to trauma centers in Birmingham. Piedmont EMS and Atrium-Floyd EMS took four additional children to Atrium-Floyd Medical Center in Rome for treatment.

Rogers said officials did not know the medical status of any of the children or have updates on their conditions. Their identities were not released.

The two people in the other ATV were not injured and tried to render aid, Shaver said.

The accident site was in a remote location inside the park and was difficult to access. Staff at the ATV park, located about 75 miles northeast of Birmingham, had to escort medical personnel to the scene.

Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver said it appears the deceased driver was operating the ATV at a high rate of speed when it struck the other vehicle, whose driver tried to avoid the collision.

The sheriff's office is awaiting toxicology results to determine whether alcohol played a factor. It's illegal to possess alcohol outside municipalities in Cherokee County, which has been dry since the Prohibition era a century ago.

“This is a tragic accident and highlights the importance of operating RZRs and other recreational vehicles in a safe and responsible manner," Shaver said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.