Family of metro Atlanta boy hurt in deadly ATV crash questions safety at park
Share this @internewscast.com

The family of 13-year-old Marcus Ragland Jr. said he protected his younger brother in the crash. Seven siblings and two adults were in the ATV.

ROME, Ga. — Two Rome, Georgia, parents were killed and seven children were hospitalized after an ATV crash at Indian Mountain ATV Park in Alabama. 

Cherokee County Coroner Paul McDonald identified the adults killed as Marcus Ragland and Ashley Hawkins. 

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office reported that a side-by-side RZR carrying nine passengers crashed into another ATV, causing it to flip over and collide with a tree on Saturday.


Thirteen-year-old Marcus Ragland Jr., known as MJ, was flown to Birmingham, where he remains in the ICU.

“He’s still in the intensive care unit. He’s doing well, but his entire face is badly bruised—as if it is a cracked egg. His eye is completely swollen shut,” MJ’s mother, Destiny Huggins, said.


MJ’s stepfather, Jacquan Brock, said the teenager tried to protect his younger brother during the crash.

“MJ put his life on the line to protect his younger brother, who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. When the crash happened, MJ wrapped his arm around his brother and shielded his face,” Brock explained.

Huggins said only two of the children were wearing seatbelts.

“In a situation like this, where I had no control, I expected these businesses to ensure my child’s safety at the venue they permitted us to enter,” she stated.

Huggins shared what her son Gabriel told her about the crash.

“They were going quite fast, climbing a hill as Gabriel described. You need to accelerate hard to ascend the hill. As they reached the top and started descending the mountain, another ATV appeared. Marcus tried to avoid it but clipped it, causing the vehicle to fall off the cliff and hit a tree,” she recounted.

First responders were delayed getting to the crash site due to its remoteness. 

She and Brock want more safety measures put in place at the park.

As MJ continues his recovery, Huggins said the family has been leaning on community support.

“Any support, even if it’s a prayer. As soon as I started asking for prayers, he started getting better,” she said.

An online campaign has been created to help with MJ’s medical expenses.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Charlie Kirk Shot

Hearing Scheduled for Suspect in Charlie Kirk Case

PROVO, Utah (AP) — The 22-year-old man accused of killing Charlie Kirk…
Plainfield murder-suicide: Ryan Heit shoots, kills wife, Jennifer, before taking own life on Burshire Court, Joliet police say

Tragic Incident in Plainfield: Ryan Heit Allegedly Kills Wife Jennifer Before Taking His Own Life, According to Joliet Police

PLAINFIELD, Ill. (WLS) — According to Joliet police, a tragic incident occurred…
Tyler Robinson faces court hearing in Charlie Kirk murder case

Tyler Robinson appears in court for Charlie Kirk murder case hearing

Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder and plan to seek…
North Carolina restaurant ambush ‘highly premeditated,’ suspect tied to anti-LGBTQ conspiracies: docs

Documents reveal that an ambush at a North Carolina restaurant was thoroughly planned, with the suspect linked to anti-LGBTQ conspiracy theories.

A weekend shooting that left three people dead and five others injured…
Police share new pictures of third suspect amid manhunt in congressional intern’s killing

Authorities Release New Photos of Third Suspect as Search Continues in Congressional Intern’s Murder Case

Police in Washington, D.C., released more pictures of a third suspect accused…
Bad Bunny to headline Super Bowl 60 halftime show

Bad Bunny Set to Perform at Super Bowl 60 Halftime Show

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Bad Bunny will take center stage as Super…
Alabama man charged in hit-and-run in Tuscaloosa

Alabama Resident Faces Charges in Tuscaloosa Hit-and-Run Incident

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — An Alabama man was arrested following a hit-and-run…
'The Simpsons' creator Matt Groening reveals the "amazing thing" about having a Simpson-ified room in his house

Matt Groening Unveils the Magic of Owning a Simpson-Themed Room at Home

SAN DIEGO — Not only is Matt Groening the creator of “The…
China won't let Trump take Bagram Air Base back from the Taliban without a fight, expert warns

Expert Predicts: China Unlikely to Allow Trump to Reclaim Bagram Air Base from Taliban Without Challenge

President Donald Trump made the shocking announcement this month that the U.S.…
New temporary Illinois Secretary of State DMV to open in Orland Park Monday

Temporary Illinois DMV Secretary of State Facility Opening in Orland Park on Monday

ORLAND PARK, Ill. (WLS) — The Village of Orland Park opened a…
Arizona flash flooding: 4 dead after flooding in Globe and historic mining town of Miami

Devastating Flash Flooding in Arizona Leaves 4 Dead in Globe and Miami, a Historic Mining Town

GLOBE, Ariz. — Four individuals lost their lives due to severe rainfall…
Teen runaway was likely dead for ‘several weeks’ before her remains were found in D4vd’s Tesla: cops

Teenager Who Ran Away Found Dead in D4vd’s Tesla Weeks After Disappearance: Police

Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a teenager who had run away, was discovered deceased…