Victim’s father pleas for OHV park safety | VIDEO

Published 12:05 pm Tuesday, February 27, 2018

The father of a young woman killed Saturday in an accident at Stony Lonesome OHV Park made an emotional plea Tuesday for Cullman County commissioners to make safety improvements at the park.

Lionel Bates, in the regular meeting of the Cullman County Commission alleged alcohol is regularly consumed at the park and said it was a reason behind the accidents. 

His daughter, Hannah Bates, 21, of Cullman, died Saturday at the park in an accident. Saturday’s fatal accident comes nearly a year after two people were killed during an event at the park in April 2017.

“There’s a lot of safety issues down there. And alcohol is the worst one of them. Alcohol apparently is approved there. The staff drinks with them. The man who run off the cliff couldn’t even stand up,” Bates’ father said. “How long did my daughter lay under this RZR (all-terrain vehicle)? How long? Could she get a breath? Don’t let this happen again to nobody else.”

Prior to Bates’ appeal to the commission, it approved a number of revised regulations for the park.

Visitors to the OHV park will see stricter rules when the facility re-opens Thursday.

Under the tightened rules, no coolers will be allowed on the trails and visitors will be required to wear seatbelts and safety harnesses effective immediately.

The speed limit in the parking lot will also be reduced from 10 miles per hour to 5 miles per hour. Commissioners and other county officials will evaluate other proposals to prevent accidents.

The park has been closed since the accident Saturday.