COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — An 8-year-old girl is dead following a crash involving an off-road vehicle near Forest Lakes in Coconino County, officials said.
On Sept. 4, around 11 a.m., the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an off-highway vehicle crash on Forest Service Road 99 and Heber Wildcat Road north of Forest Lakes.
According to the Coconino County Sheriff's Office, CPR was being performed on one of the children involved in the crash when officials arrived. A Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputy, Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer, and Arizona Game and Fish Officer responded along with Forest Lakes Fire Department.
An 8-year-old girl was declared dead at the scene, officials said. Another 8-year-old girl along with two 14-year-old girls were also involved in the crash and airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Authorities said all the victims involved were from the greater Phoenix area.
Jon Paxton with the Coconino County Sheriff's Department said some of the injured girls are siblings and were camping with their families.
Paxton said the department is still investigating if the girls were wearing seatbelts, helmets, and most importantly, who was driving the vehicle.
Paxton said over the past four years, there has been an increase in off-roading vehicles being used in Coconino County and, with it, an increase in accidents.
“People are careless and don’t really understand the power of some of these vehicles, how fast they can go, and at times how unstable the road that they are driving on. Especially on some of these forest roads," said Paxton.
“We want them to come up and be able to enjoy, but responsibility comes along with it, and you have to understand the rules and the laws that go along with it and helmets and seatbelts, can’t stress that enough."
The crash is still under investigation, and no further information is currently available. We will update this story once more information is released.
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