Price Man Injured in ATV Accident

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A man was injured when an ATV he was operating rolled on top of him. According to Sergeant Les Wilberg the accident happened on the Great Western Trail about a half a mile north of Grassy Lake. It was late on Tuesday evening when the call came in. Sergeant Wilberg said he was on the scene from 10 p.m.-2:30 a.m. aiding in the rescue.
“It was getting late and the party was riding back to Joes Valley when the mishap occurred. He rolled his four wheeler and it landed on top of him, he suffered broken ribs and a broken shoulder. His family hiked up to where they could use the cell phone and then called the sheriff’s office for help. Rescuers and family had to walk in for a mile and a half to reach the injured man. Life Flight was called in, but they could not land because of the rocky terrain. The ambulance was called and waited for the victim to be brought to them. He was transported on the back of a four-wheeler in a stokes basket which is a type of stretcher with sides.
“His name is Delvin McFarland and he is from Price. It should be noted that he was riding with a helmet on. The helmet was fractured and paint was knocked off, it saved him from being injured more seriously. He was transported to Castleview Hospital for treatment. He is sore but recovering well.
“The second incident involving search and rescue involved the rescue of two young women, Jessica Pilson and Erica Johnson. They were traveling and camping in the area. They were in Goblin Valley in Little Wildhorse Canyon which is five miles northwest of Goblin Valley. They stopped at Little Wildhorse Canyon to take pictures and were going to set up camp. They became lost on June 10, at approximately 4:30 p.m. they signed the Bureau of Land Management register. The sheriff’s office was not contacted until Wednesday when the ladies did not show up for work. The search and rescue was called out from Green River and the west end of the county as well. They searched throughout the night and all day Thursday. The ladies were located at approximately 1 a.m. on Friday morning.
“They were dehydrated when they were found, but in remarkably good condition. They had walked through the canyon and then realized they were lost. They sat down and stayed put and didn’t move for two days. They had one water bottle between them and shared small sips of water. If they had wandered around they would probably be dead from the heat. We searched with a UHP helicopter and also two small airplanes, but we didn’t spot them.
“Chad Lake, while searching on Thursday night, saw a reflection. The women had a flashlight and they flashed it. One of the officers also turned on his headlights. The women were certain they had been seen and they then lit a signal fire, which they had prepared. It still took a couple of hours to reach them after that. They were very hungry and very thirsty. After they were examined and given water they left the scene in their vehicle.
“We also had Diane Chandler and her rescue dog from Green River searching. It had been four days and we’re really glad this story had a happy ending. The main thing is to be careful and to be smart. The sheriff’s office has been involved with five searches in the last seven days. These searches drain resources. I act as a liaison between the sheriff’s office and the search and rescue. I coordinate with Les Thompson who is the captain of the jeep posse. They are an all volunteer organization. Brad Reed is the first lieutenant and Randy Lake is the second lieutenant,” said Sergeant Wilberg.