A 44-year-old Geneva man died yesterday evening after an all-terrain vehicle overturned on Harpersfield Road in Ashtabula County, according to troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Local emergency crews responded to the scene, and the crash remains under investigation.
Crash details
According to Cleveland19, an OSHP news release states that Jason Wichert, 44, of Geneva, was driving a red 2022 CFMOTO CForce ATV southbound on Harpersfield Road when he lost control. The ATV overturned, and Wichert was ejected. Troopers said he was not wearing a helmet. Medics took him to the University Hospitals Geneva Medical Center, where he later died, according to the release.
Response and investigation
WHIO reported that Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers arrived at the crash site at about 6:40 p.m. yesterday. OSHP has opened an investigation into the incident, and officials did not immediately release additional details.
ATV safety and helmet use
National safety data indicate that overturns and ejections are a frequent cause of deadly ATV crashes. In its annual off-highway vehicle report, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has urged riders to wear helmets, get safety training, and stay off paved roads. The agency has also pointed to a recent rise in off-highway vehicle deaths and says helmet use and safer riding practices can lower the risk of severe injury. That guidance was published this spring.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol continues to investigate the Harpersfield Road crash. Harpersfield Fire & EMS and the Northwest Ambulance District assisted at the scene, according to Cleveland19.
