Two Georgia parents die in ATV accident, 7 children injured in Alabama

On Saturday afternoon in Cherokee County, Alabama, two adults were fatally injured and seven children were hurt in an ATV crash near the Georgia state line. The tragic incident took place at 3:47 p.m. central time at Indian Mountain ATV Park. Emergency responders found that two side-by-side RZRs had collided, leading one ATV carrying nine individuals to overturn and hit a tree. Sadly, the driver of that ATV was ejected and died at the scene, while a female passenger passed away after being airlifted to a hospital in Birmingham. The other eight passengers, all children between the ages of 1 and 12, sustained injuries, with three of them flown to Birmingham hospitals and the remaining four taken by ambulance to a hospital in Rome. Officials noted at a press conference that previous accidents had occurred at the park and highlighted that harnesses were not worn by the children involved in the crash. The park's rules require drivers and passengers to wear helmets and seat belts at all times and set speed limits of 15 miles per hour. Investigators also mentioned encountering challenges like rough terrain and communication issues during their response to the crash. Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver indicated uncertainty about the park's adherence to rules and the involvement of alcohol or drugs in the incident, pending toxicology reports. A GoFundMe page was created for the family affected by the tragedy, naming Marcus Ragland, a father of 10, as one of the victims and mentioning that the deceased woman was the mother of two children in the ATV. Six of the injured children were Ragland's.