2 men died, 1 was injured in ATV crashes over the weekend
Two people died and one person was injured in three separate ATV crashes over the weekend.
In at least two of the incidents, the ATV driver wasn't wearing a helmet. This has officials reminding people to put on proper safety equipment when riding.
On Sunday, 30-year-old Justin Bateman of Little Falls was riding northbound on Haven Road in Belle Prairie Township when he hit a driveway approach and was thrown from the vehicle, the Morrison County Sheriff's Office says.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, with officials noting he wasn't wearing a helmet.
The second fatal crash happened in Meeker County Friday. Officials say David Ahlgren, 66, of Darwin, was spraying weeds on his property and became pinned underneath his ATV, killing him.
A preliminary investigation shows the wheel of the ATV dropped in a wash out, causing the vehicle to roll into a ditch and pin him.
The third crash happened Saturday, with officials saying alcohol is believed to have been a factor.
The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office says a 21-year-old was riding his ATV up a steep hill when it rolled over.
He suffered serious injuries, and officials say he wasn't wearing a helmet.
Fatal ATV crashes in Minnesota
As of July 17 there have been seven fatal ATV crashes this year in Minnesota, DNR statistics show.
In six out of the deaths, alcohol was involved.
In 2016, there were 16 ATV fatalities and two off-highway motorcycle fatalities, the DNR's website shows. At least four of these incidents involved alcohol.
Data on whether a rider was wearing a helmet wasn't available on the DNR's website.
