BERLIN — A Manchester youth sustained serious injuries in a rental utility terrain vehicle (UTV) rollover at Jericho Mountain State Park on Saturday, officials said.
The NH Fish and Game Department received notification of the single-vehicle accident at approximately 1 p.m. in the park’s main parking lot.
Berlin Police, along with fire and emergency medical services personnel, responded to the scene to aid the injured minor operator, who had been performing a doughnut maneuver when the vehicle overturned.
An investigation by Berlin Police and a subsequent review by a Conservation Officer, who interviewed the operator and witnesses, confirmed that reckless operation was the primary cause of the crash.
No other individuals were harmed during the incident.
The UTV, rented from Northeast Snowmobile and ATV Rentals in Gorham, was being used by the youth’s party when the accident occurred.
The injured operator was transported to Androscoggin Valley Hospital by Berlin Ambulance for treatment of injuries that were serious but not life-threatening.
Authorities noted that while most off-highway recreational vehicle (OHRV) trails in New Hampshire are closed for the season, some, like those at Jericho Mountain State Park, remain open.
This continued activity diverts Conservation Officers from their main duty of enforcing wildlife laws.
