A day of dirt-bike riding at Bone Valley ATV Park in Mulberry ended in tragedy yesterday when a 58-year-old man died after crashing along one of the park’s trails. Deputies say the rider lost control of his KTM motorcycle, was thrown from the bike and later died at a nearby hospital.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened shortly before noon. Friends who had been riding with the man found him injured on the trail, called 911 and stayed with him until help arrived. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after, as reported by Tampa Bay 28.
Deputies say video from the rider’s GoPro camera shows him traveling at a moderate speed and cresting an incline when he suddenly loses control and is ejected from the bike. The sheriff’s office noted that he was wearing a helmet at the time but still suffered significant injuries. The agency’s Traffic Homicide Investigations Unit is handling the case.
Bone Valley Park And The Terrain
Bone Valley ATV Park is a Polk County managed off-highway vehicle area covering roughly 500 acres. The park features one-way trails, hill climbs and free-ride zones that draw dirt-bike riders and four-wheelers from around the region. Polk County lists the park at 10427 County Road 630 W. in Mulberry and posts hours, fees and safety requirements for visitors and equipment renters on its website.
What Investigators Say
Investigators say the recovered GoPro footage is central to understanding what happened on the trail. It reportedly shows the 58-year-old rider cresting an incline, then losing control of the KTM and being thrown from the bike. His friends came upon the scene, rendered aid and called 911. First responders arrived to find him unresponsive and without a pulse, and he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Local coverage places the crash at about 11:47 a.m. on April 13, according to DailyRidge.
Off-Highway Riding Risks
Federal safety data puts this kind of crash in a grim but familiar category. Overturns, collisions and ejections are among the most common factors in off-highway vehicle fatalities, and emergency rooms nationwide have treated hundreds of thousands of OHV-related injuries in recent years. A Consumer Product Safety Commission report on off-highway vehicles notes that ejection is especially common in deadly incidents and points to terrain, vehicle handling and rider decisions as recurring factors. It is a reminder that even designated parks with marked trails can be unforgiving when something goes wrong.
Investigation And How To Help
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says its Traffic Homicide Investigations Unit is continuing to review evidence and will release more information as it becomes available. Anyone with additional video, photos or details about the crash is asked to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit at 863-668-3100 or Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-888-400-TIPS, according to the sheriff’s office.
