McKinney Woman Dies From Head Injuries In Texas ATV Accident

A Texas woman died of a traumatic brain injury on Saturday sustained when she fell of an ATV driven by a friend at the Saxon Woods Apartments complex in McKinney, reports the Courier-Gazette.

According to local news sources, 56-year-old Judy Morgenroth was riding on the back of an ATV driven by 23-year-old Stephanie King in an apartment building parking lot when Morgenroth lost her balance during a turn and struck her head on concrete. She was rushed by helicopter to Parkland Memorial Hospital of Dallas, but died of her head injuries while in transit.

Police say that the ATV driver was not speeding at the time of the fatal accident and that they do not believe foul play or alcohol were factors in the crash. However, they did say that neither woman was wearing a helmet while riding the four-wheeler.

McKinney police Deputy Chief Kim Malolepszy said that she hopes the accident raises awareness about ATV accidents and that others who plan on riding the vehicles look into ATV safety and ATV accident prevention. She noted that the four-wheeler vehicles are meant for off-road use and that riding ATVs on public property requires a safety certificate and safety training.

Just last month, we blogged about the increased rate of child ATV accidents in Texas during the summer months – just one more reason to learn about four-wheeler safety and accident prevention.