The man who lost his life while working on private property in Sonoma County, California, has been identified. The Sonoma County Coroner’s Office released his name on Tuesday, March 17th, as David Romero Mendoza, 31, from Modesto.
The county sheriff’s office spokesman, Juan Valencia, said that the deceased was operating an ATV in a private Forestville property on Monday, March 16th, when the accident happened. The property is located close to Highway 116 and Martinelli Road.
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Mendoza, who worked for Mountain F Enterprises, a tree cutting service, lost control of the ATV for reasons yet to be uncovered and crashed. He passed away from his injuries at the scene.
Valencia said Cal-OSHA is taking point on the investigation and looking into a possible violation of workplace safety regulations. If it finds any, it would issue a citation against the owners of the property and must bring any charge within six months.
Finding a violation also means that under California law, the family or the representative of the deceased can bring a wrongful death lawsuit. The latter is a civil action, and while there won’t be jail time, Mendoza’s family will receive compensation for his death.
ATV safety regulations state that a rider should always have a DOT-compliant helmet, goggles, long sleeves, long pants, and over the ankle boots when riding. They should also not ride on paved roads except for places where the law permits.
Riders should not ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and never carry a passenger on a single-rider ATV. Ride an ATV that is age-appropriate, ride on designated trails at the right speed and take a hands-on and hands-free ATV riders course online.