A 9-year-old ATV passenger was critically hurt in a crash at her central Minnesota home while the vehicle was being driven by an 11-year-old girl on private property, authorities said.
The rollover of the 2007 Polaris Ranger occurred Saturday morning about 7 miles north of Freeport on a family's driveway, and excessive speed is considered a factor, according to the Stearns County Sheriff's Office.
The 11-year-old, a family friend, was attempting to "maneuver a curve" and lost control of the ATV, the Sheriff's Office statement said.
The girl's passenger, who was not wearing a seat belt, flew off the ATV and hit the ground, the statement continued. The girl was taken by air ambulance to a Twin Cities hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.
The ATV operator was wearing her seat belt and suffered minor injuries.
This particular model of ATV is categorized as a Class 2 vehicle. The Sheriff's Office and the state Department of Natural Resources said it is against the law for anyone under 15 years old to operate a Class 2 ATV, regardless of whether on private or public land.
