POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A 19-year-old man from Bartow died early Sunday morning following an ATV crash at River Ranch Hunt Club near Lake Wales.
According to authorities, the victim was riding with friends when they noticed he was missing and returned to search for him. He was found underneath his ATV, initially semi-conscious, but later became unresponsive.
Emergency responders performed CPR; however, his injuries were fatal, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators reported that the victim likely lost control while attempting a sharp turn, causing the ATV to flip in soft dirt.
The victim was not wearing a helmet or other safety gear at the time of the incident.
In a separate incident, a cyclist, Craig Prather, who had survived a cardiac arrest in December, was struck and killed by a car less than six months later.