The week in ATV news: Two bad accidents and a theft

Last week saw a couple of catastrophic ATV accidents in the Catskills.

On Thursday, May 3, two local residents were fatally injured while riding an ATV in Andes: 32-year-old John W. Morris and 45-year-old Julie M. Manon. The Daily Star reports:

Manon died Friday at Albany Medical Center from injuries sustained in the crash, while Morris died Thursday night at Margaretville Hospital.

The Daily Star has obituaries for both Manon and Morris in today's paper.

We are working on getting more information about the Andes accident from local first responders. Last Thursday, Watershed Post reader Josie Stern left a message on our Facebook wall that an ATV accident had injured two people on Weaver Hollow Road in Andes, and that a medical helicopter was having trouble getting to the scene because of weather. It seems likely it was the same accident.

On Sunday, May 6, a 16-year-old girl was critically injured on a private trail off Italiana Road in Rosendale, when the ATV she was riding collided with a dirt bike.

From the New York State Police:

New York State Police in Kingston are investigating a personal injury ATV accident that occurred on May 6, 2012, at approximately 7:00 PM. The investigation has revealed Paul Harper, 40, was operating a Honda dirt bike on a private trail off Italiana Road in Rosendale and collided with a Yamaha ATV being operated by a 16-year-old female.

The 16-year-old female operator was air lifted to Westchester Medical Center and is currently listed in critical condition. The cause of the accident is still pending investigation. The New York State Police were assisted at the scene by the Rosendale Police Department and the Bloomington Fire Department.

We are looking for more information on the Rosendale accident as well, and will update this post if the girl's name is released or if we can get an update on her condition.

(Update, 5/8: The girl's name is Kaylon Smith, and as of Monday evening, she was still in critical condition with a fractured skull.)

In less dire local ATV news: Delaware County police report that an ATV was stolen from Delhi on April 27, and they are investigating. From a press release:

Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies are investigating the theft of a black 1991 Yamaha Banshee 350 All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) from Falls Mills Road, Delhi, on Friday, April 27, 2012.  The ATV is black with a red exhaust system. 

Deputies are asking anyone that may have information concerning the theft, or current whereabouts, of this ATV to contact the Delaware County Sheriff's Office at phone (607) 746-2336.

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