Linda Lopez Gandy’s great-grandson in ATV accident

Monongah High Alumni Association president Linda Lopez Gandy, Class of 1965, married to Jim Gandy, wrote:

“The boy who wrecked on the ATV that was on front page of the paper was Misty and Trent’s son, Tristan. His leg was broken in two places and he will have surgery sometime today. He is also Jimmy and Joyce's grandson, our great-grandson. He is an important part of our family. May God be with him and the Dr. who will operate on him this afternoon.”

WBOY-TV’s report on the accident (the Fairmont Times doesn’t allow free online access to this information):

Fairmont, WV -

A Marion County juvenile was flown to the hospital after crashing an ATV earlier this evening.

The male patient was flown by Healthnet to Ruby Memorial Hospital.  The accident happened just before 9 p.m. Tuesday on Chesapeake Road in Fairmont.

No word on the on the extent of his injuries at this time.

Barrackville VFD, Marion County Sheriff's Department, Marion County Rescue Squad, and Farmington Fire Department responded to the scene.

West Virginia leads the nation in per-capita fatalities from ATV accidents. There have been 588 reported ATV deaths in West Virginia since 1982, 66 of them children under 16.

Kentucky and Pennsylvania have higher ATV death totals, but West Virginia is No. 1 in per-capita ATV deaths.

Two-thirds of West Virginia’s ATV crashes happen on public roads. Tourists tend to stick to the trails more.

250 died in West Virginia ATV accidents in 1999-2006, including 215 West Virginia residents.

From 2007 to 2011, 1,701 ATV riders died in crashes on public roads in the USA — about 340 a year. Two-thirds of all fatal ATV crashes occur on public or private roads.