A 55-year-old Avondale man died Saturday in an ATV accident while camping with his family near Heber, officials said. 

Clarence Hicks was attempting a jump on his ATV when it “nosedived about 30-40 feet on the downhill side,” said Chief Deputy James Molesa of the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office. “Hicks was not wearing a helmet, and he was not buckled in the ATV.” 

He was found deceased with “apparent blunt force trauma to the head,” Molesa said.

According to Molesa, at least one person saw Hicks fall during the jump attempt. 

“There are too many tragic fatal accidents involving off-road vehicles where occupants are not wearing the proper equipment,” Navajo County Sheriff K.C. Clark was quoted as saying in a press release.

Clark also said “laws of physics” and off-road motorist laws still apply in rural areas, and “residents and visitors must take heed to both.”

Molesa said alcohol was not a factor in the fatal accident.

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