One dead after off-roaders drive off 200-foot cliff at night, Tennessee officials say
One man is dead and another seriously injured after driving off a 200-foot cliff at an off-roading park in Tennessee, officials said.
Rescue crews received an emergency call around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, coming from the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency told McClatchy News in an email.
Upon arrival, responders found 27-year-old Rick Violes, who made the call after regaining consciousness, officials said.
Violes, who was wearing a seat belt in the passenger seat, was stabilized and airlifted to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, TWRA said. The driver, 41-year-old Josh Mefford, was not wearing his seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle, officials said.
Crew members found Mefford’s body around 11:30 a.m., officials said.
According to TWRA, the two men left work at a truck stop in LaFollette in a side-by-side off-highway vehicle around 8:30 p.m. and arrived at the off-roading park.
At an unknown time, the vehicle drove off a 200-foot rock wall in the sand mines area, officials said.
TWRA said it is investigating the crash.
LaFollette is about a 40-mile drive northwest of Knoxville.
Off-highway vehicle accidents
According to the Consumer Federation of America, there were 498 OHV fatalities across the U.S. in 2023.
Preliminary data shows Tennessee had 23 ATV — a type of OHV — deaths the same year, reflecting a 35% increase in ATV rider fatalities in the last decade.
“The dangers of riding off-highway vehicles are real and include overturning, collisions and occupant ejection,” the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. “CPSC urges all consumers using all-terrain vehicles to understand the risks and necessary safety measures of ATVs before riding them.”
This story was originally published November 11, 2024 at 2:57 PM with the headline "One dead after off-roaders drive off 200-foot cliff at night, Tennessee officials say."
