Man dies after ATV accident
Published 3:00 am Tuesday, January 17, 2017
A Dale County man was killed on Saturday when the ATV he was driving crashed at the Heart of Dixie Trail Ride off of Needmore Road in Troy.
The Troy Police Department responded to the call at approximately 3: p.m. on Saturday and found Dakota Lee Henry, 19 of Level Plains, deceased when they arrived, according to Police Chief Randall Barr.
”The investigation revealed that Henry was riding a Polaris Sportsman 800 four-wheeler when the accident occurred and the ATV overturned, trapping Henry underneath,” Barr said.
Henry died from a traumatic head injury and was not wearing a helmet when the crash occurred, Barr said.
The Heart of Dixie Trail Ride is a 1,500-acre property with 30 miles worth of trails for riding horses and ATVs. The business has been open for 14 years.
Adults are required to sign a release before riding on the trails that absolves the business of responsibility for injuries and death.
The form also states that “all participants are required to wear [a] helmet (if they) ride a four wheeler.” The business did not respond to attempts to ask whether they enforce the requirement. However, there is no law against riding an ATV without a helmet in Alabama.
The Heart of Dixie Trail Ride owners released a statement expressing their condolences to Henry’s family.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the young man’s family.”