by Dan Nitzel

A Grand Island man was killed in an ATV accident early October 27^th at the Headworks OHV Park near Genoa. Thomas R. "Tom" Waltemath Jr., who would have been 24 on Friday, was riding an ATV on a road when the accident occurred, Nance County Sheriff Paul Kruse said.

Waltemath was riding in a restricted area north of the approved trails at 1:25 a.m. Kruse said. The victim was wearing a helmet when the Kawasaki Prairie 650 ATV he was riding struck a chain-link fence and 30-foot-wide non-motorized device used to pump sand around a nearby canal. After a number of NOHVA members came to the aid of Waltemath, he was taken by ambulance to the Genoa Hospital and was then flown to BryanLGH Medical Center West in Lincoln, where he died on the same day as the accident.

Our organization was holding our 17^th semiannual jamboree at the park. Waltemath was not participating in the jamboree as he had not signed in and there was no record of membership for him.

On Thursday, November 8^th, an article in the Grand Island Independent reported that alcohol was a factor in the accident on Oct. 28, according to Nance County Sheriff Paul Kruse. Waltemath’s blood-alcohol level was above the legal limit of .08 percent when the accident occurred.

A memorial has been established at Five Points Bank in Grand Island for Waltemath's wife and 3-year-old daughter. Donations can be made at all of the branches in Grand Island. At the time of his death, Waltemath was working as a service mechanic with Wolfe Cycle Sports of Hastings.

There have been three accidents at the area lately, two of which riders had to be flown to Lincoln from the Genoa Hospital for treatment. The weekend of October 20^th, a teenager from Genoa was riding a three wheeler at a high rate of speed on the road along the canal. He struck a gate in broad day light and suffered minor injuries. The rider was asked to pay for the gate. It is not known if alcohol was a factor.

On the weekend of October 26^th, the Waltemath fatality occurred.

On the weekend of November 2^nd, another Grand Island NOHVA member was injured while riding along a sandy beach on the Loup River. While he was wearing full safety gear, he apparently lost control of his ATV and was thrown from it. The machine followed him and struck him in the head causing a nasty head injury. The man was transported by the Genoa Rescue Squad to the Genoa Hospital and later flown to Lincoln for tests and recovery. He was released from the hospital a week and a half after the accident. Alcohol was not a factor in the accident.

While we have had a string of three accidents on three weekends in a row, over the course of a year there does not seem to be a large number of accidents. After some investigation into accidents at the area, from what I was told the Genoa rescue squad had only been called two or three times this year prior to these three accidents. Most accidents that occur at the area happen at night and alcohol was likely involved.

The sheriffs department has been increasing patrols of the area and people who have been riding ATVs have been tested for intoxication. Several people have been ticketed for minor in possession of alcohol as well.

Several large signs exist at the area stating that alcohol is not allowed and people must stay off of the roads. We have asked that riders who have been violating these rules to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

With the recent rash of accidents at the area, we need riders to follow the rules. If the frequency and severity of these accidents do not diminish, riding restrictions such as closing the area at night from dusk to dawn or a total closure of the area may occur.

We need people to observe the following:

As of this writing, any changes that may take place at the area have not been determined. NOHVA officers plan to meet with Loup Power officials and the Nance County Sheriff’s Department to discuss the accidents. If there are any changes in the operation of the riding area, we will inform our members of these changes in a timely manner.