Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating an ATV accident that occurred in Wabash County at 4:14 p.m. Saturday. Three area youths sustained numerous injuries as a result of the rollover accident. Blake Tipton, 15, Silver Lake, was operating a 2005 Polaris Ranger 500 ATV in the area of 7991 W. CR 1400N when the ATV left the roadway and rolled over injuring all three occupants. Taylor Biltz, 10, Rochester, and her brother, Dyson Biltz, 15, were the other injured parties in this accident. According to investigating officer Cpl. Ashlee Jackson of the Indiana Department of Natural Rources Law Enforcement Division, Tipton was operating the ATV westbound on CR 1400N from CR 750W when he attempted to exit the roadway on what he thought was a field access road. However, he struck the ditch at approximately 35 mph, causing the ATV to rollover and slide well into a freshly cut soybean field. The ATV is considered totaled as a result of the extensive damage it sustained from the accident. Tipton suffered minor abrasions and did not require medical treatment. Taylor Biltz was airlifted by Samaritan Helicopter with unknown internal injuries to Parkview Medical Center in Fort Wayne. As of this morning, she is in stable condition and is expected to be discharged within two days. Dyson Biltz was transported to Woodlawn Hospital in Rochester for evalutation as the extent of his injuries were unknown at the time of the news release. As of this morning, he had already been discharged. The investigation revealed that the ATV was equipped with seatbelts, however, they were not used. None of the victims were wearing a helmet or protective gear. Operating ATVs on the roadway in Wabash County is unlawful except if being utilized in the active pursuit of farming practices. The vast majority of ATVs are not meant to be operated by persons under the age of 16. Indiana conservation officers remind ATV owners to supply helmets to all occupants of their ATVs as well as other safety gear that may be needed. An online ATV safety course can be found at www.offroad-ed.com/in/index.htm and should be supplemented by supervised operating instruction for beginners before they are allowed to operate any ATV. Other agencies assisting at the scene were Samaritan Air Ambulance, Henry Township Fire, Fulton County EMS and Akron Police Department.
