A man was seriously hurt in a crash at Hog Waller in Putnam County. It happened as hundreds of families were gathered for a big event this weekend.
“We’re out here for the fun,” Grace Franco said. “Being out there in the woods, in the mud.”
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Franco and her fiance C.J. said they’ve been coming to Hog Waller for five years.
They said they were being a little more careful Saturday after hearing the man was hurt in the ATV park’s “1,000 Acre Woods.”
Deputies said a man was flown to the hospital after the crash Friday night. Park staff told Action News Jax he was in critical condition.
According to attendees, his four-wheeler was hit head-on.
As news spread on Facebook, comments poured in from people checking on their loved ones.
Some people questioned if the combination of alcohol and offroading is safe.
“Unfortunately, sometimes people run into one another,” Skeet Alford, part owner of the property, said.
“It’s just the exception, it’s not the common thing. Every now and then, sometimes, things happen.”
In 2012, a 3-year-old-boy died at the park after being run over by his aunt.
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Action News Jax went on a ridealong with the property owners Saturday.
They said they work hard to ensure the park is safe for families.
They always have at least two off-duty deputies on site along with emergency medical services personnel, they said.
Each person is also required to sign a liability release waiver warning of the risk for injury or death.
“I mean we know what we’re getting into at the end of the day,” Franco said.
Action News Jax asked property owners if they planned to bring more off-duty deputies on-site after the crash Friday.
The owners said deputies can ask for additional security at the owner’s expense if they feel it's necessary.
The identities of the two people involved in the crash have not been released. Action News Jax has requested the Florida Highway Patrol report and more information from troopers.