LANCASTER — “It is a sad situation.”

Grant County Sheriff Craig Reukauf conveyed to the county law enforcement committee Monday the situation where emergency responders were called to a farm off of Hurricane Road for a fatal UTV accident last Thursday, July 10.

That morning, a six-year-old was operating a UTV alone on private property, handling farm chores - feeding and watering livestock - when he had lost control of the UTV, which rolled onto its side.

The UTV had a 65-gallon water tank strapped to the rear of the UTV.

The youth had not been using any safety equipment, and was ejected from the UTV, getting pinned underneath.

At approximately 10 a.m., the Grant County Dispatch Center was notified, and Sheriff’s deputies, Lancaster Fire and Lancaster EMS rushed to the scene.

The Grant County Coroners Office also came to the scene, and pronounced the individual deceased at the scene.

This is the second UTV fatality in Grant County in 2025.

“You cannot contribute anything to this but being a farm accident,” Sheriff Reukauf told the Law Enforcement Committee.

Agents from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also arrived at the scene, with the Sheriff’s Office offering support as the DNR took up investigating the accident.

According to the DNR report, the six-year-old was driving the UTV down a farm road, then the vehicle made a 90-degree turn, which made the UTV roll over, pinning the driver.

According to regulations for UTVs and ATVs, anyone under the age of 12 may operate a UTV, provided they are on private lands and are under supervision of an adult.

Under state regulations, a helmet is not required for those participating in agricultural work, or if they are on private property owned or controlled by their immediate family.

In addition to agricultural work, UTVs have seen an increase as recreational devices, with more and more usage on trails and routes, as most roadways in the county that have speed limits of 30 mph or lower are open to such traffic.

Reukauf noted that the increase in usage also leads to an increase in accidents, noting two accidents that have taken place in recent weeks in Richland and Vernon counties.

As of Monday, there have been 21 fatal UTV accidents in the state of Wisconsin. Grant County’s accident has involved the youngest individual killed on a UTV in the state this year.

The first Grant County UTV fatality was May 21, where a 27-year-old was ejected when traveling down a muddy hill on private property, being pinned under the UTV.

The Vernon County fatal accident took place on July 2, when a 12-year-old was participating in farm chores, but is alleged to have attempted ‘drifting’ the UTV on the gravel driveway. In Iowa County on May 30, a 77-year-old was killed while attempting to traverse a steep hill while spraying weeds when the UTV rolled.

The second youngest person killed in a fatal UTV accident happened in Richland County on May 19 when a 10-year-old was operating a small UTV with another youth passenger, and an abrupt turn caused the UTV to tip over.

In neighboring Lafayette County, on May 3, a 55-year-old was killed while on the Tri-County Trail when the driver lost control and the UTV struck a bridge railing, went airborne, landing on its roof, killing the passenger.