An 8-year-old Brodhead boy died after a utility vehicle accident in Spring Valley Township, according to a news release from the Rock County Sheriff’s Department. At 8:02 p.m. Saturday, the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, along with Orfordville Police, Fire and EMS, responded to a report of a utility vehicle accident in a farm field at 5746 S. Holden Road in Spring Valley Township. When they arrived, the boy was not breathing and unresponsive. Initial investigation shows that the boy had been driving a John Deere Gator XUV southeast on a field access lane when he lost control, failed to negotiate a curve and rolled down a 6-foot berm. The boy was thrown from the Gator and pinned underneath it.
A hired farmhand found the boy and called the boy’s father who was working nearby. They were able to free the child and began performing CPR Once on the scene, police continued CPR and set up the automatic external defibrillator, a device that helps restart hearts. The boy was transported to Mercy Hospital, Janesville, when he was pronounced dead at 9:25 p.m.
The boy had operated the Gator several times in the past, and was familiar with its operation, the news release said. However, he was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident.The accident is still under investigation, and the boy’s name is being withheld pending notification of family members.No criminal charges are anticipated at this time, the news release said.
WCLO