FLORENCE DEATH LABOR DAY

Here is the News Report:

ATV crash in dunes kills driver, 20, injures passenger, 18

By Christian Wihtol

The Register-Guard

Appeared in print: Monday, Sep 7, 2009
News: Local: Story

FLORENCE — A Eugene man died and his female passenger from Veneta was seriously injured in an all-terrain-vehicle crash on sand flats in the South Jetty Dune Recreation Area late Saturday night, authorities said Sunday.

Casey Allen Renfroe, age 20, of Eugene died when his 2008 Yamaha 700cc ATV crashed sometime after 10 p.m., Oregon State Police said.

Renfroe was driving the ATV “at a high rate of speed” when he drove into a sand berm and went airborne, police said.

The female passenger, Teybra Jessie Welsh, 18, was seriously injured and taken to Peace harbor Medical Center in Florence, then later transferred to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield and reported in critical condition on Sunday. Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, police said. Neither occupant was wearing a protective helmet, police said.

Oregon State Police were contacted about 11:30 p.m. to respond to the crash on the Goose Pasture Sand Flats area, Sgt. Mike Brewster said.

A Lane County Sheriff’s Office deputy was patrolling the area in a 4x4 patrol vehicle when he saw Renfroe and his passenger crash, Brewster said.

Renfroe was camping in the area with other family members, state police said.

OSP troopers were investigating the crash Sunday.

Fatal ATV wrecks are not uncommon on the Oregon Dunes, which draw thousands of ATV users a year.

In October 2007, a 16-year-old boy died when the ATV he was driving collided with a sand vehicle near Winchester Bay. Authorities said the Fairfield boy was riding at a high rate of speed. One person in the sand vehicle was injured.

In 2005, a 13-year-old boy from British Columbia died when his all-terrain vehicle crashed and landed on him in the sand dunes near Dunes City. The boy was speeding in unfamiliar terrain, authorities said.

A 2007 study by Oregon Health & Science University in Portland found that ATV vehicle and off-road motorcycle injuries are increasing sharply at hospital trauma centers around the state.

Lane County is the state’s top area for those injuries, the study found.

The study’s author highlighted the Oregon Dunes as a unique draw that attracts many ATV users.

Under legislation passed in 2007, starting this year, ATV drivers under the age of 16 must take and pass a safety course if they want to use certain ATVs on public land.

By 2014, all adults will be required to pass the safety course in order to legally ride their ATV on public lands.