MACOUPIN CO., Ill. – An 11-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy were hospitalized after an UTV driven by a 12-year-old boy rolled over Sunday evening.
According to the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department, authorities received a call around 6:10 p.m. of an accident, but due to poor cell phone service, it wasn’t immediately clear where the accident occurred, however dispatch was able to ping to the cell phone.
Further investigation revealed five people were on the 800 Polaris Ranger at the time of the accident.
A 12-year-old boy was the driver and a 44-year-old man was in the passenger seat holding a 4-year-old boy. The 8-year-old boy and 11-year-old girl who were injured were in the back bed of the UTV.
The 11-year-old girl was unconscious and barely breathing when first responders arrived. She was airlifted to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The 8-year-old boy was also airlifted to St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
The accident occurred on Walker Road one mile west of Spanish Needle Road. No other injuries were reported. The driver of the UTV told police he was traveling south on Walker Road going down a steep grade when the front tire dropped off into a deep wash out in the roadway and it caused the tires to turn sideways, which caused it to roll over and down the slope.
