ATV rollover claims the life of Alabama man
July 20th, 2009 by Kurt Niland
An ATV rollover has claimed the life of a 26-year-old Alabama man in Washington County, Alabama. Justin Threadgill, a resident of Bay Minette, Ala., was killed Saturday night while he and his brother, Jeremy Threadgill, were driving up the side of an incline that locals refer to as “the mountain.” According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, the ATV was halfway up the incline when it rolled over on top of the men.
The rollover occurred deep in the woods near the town of Chatom in the southwestern corner of Alabama. According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, rescuers had to travel to the scene on 4 wheelers to reach the men before bringing them out of the woods.
Justin Threadgill was pronounced dead while being transported to the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile. His brother, 32-year-old Jeremy Threadgill, was taken to U.S.A. Medical Center at the University of South Alabama, where he was treated for minor injuries and released.
ATV deaths and injuries have skyrocketed in recent years alongside the vehicles’ spike in popularity. The alarming number of injuries and fatalities caused by ATV rollovers and other accidents prompted the federal government to establish a website devoted to ATV safety and awareness.
According to ATVSafety.Gov, there have been 202 reported ATV-related deaths in Alabama from 1982 to 2006. Nationally, approximately 1,000 people are killed and 150,900 people are treated in the ER every year because of ATV related injuries. The number of ATV deaths and injuries has nearly tripled since 1990.
Source: Man Dies in ATV Rollover