Two adults died and seven children were injured when an ATV carrying nine passengers collided with another all-terrain vehicle at Indian Mountain ATV Park in Piedmont, Alabama, on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at approximately 3:45 p.m.
The victims were identified as Marcus Ragland, 34, and Ashley Brooke Hawkins, 31, both from Rome, Georgia. Cherokee County Coroner Paul McDonald indicated that Ragland was the father of all seven children involved in the crash, while Hawkins was the mother of three of the children. The couple had two children together.
According to Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver, the side-by-side RZR vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it struck another ATV. The driver of the second vehicle attempted to avoid the collision but was unsuccessful. After impact, the ATV carrying the family traveled 150 feet, overturned and crashed into a tree.
Ragland, who was driving the vehicle, was ejected during the crash and pronounced dead at the scene. Hawkins was airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, where she later died from her injuries. Four medical helicopters were deployed to transport the woman and three of the most critically injured children to trauma centers in Birmingham.
The seven children, ranging in age from one to 12 years old, sustained various injuries. Family members reported that Ragland’s 13-year-old son suffered a skull fracture, his 10-year-old daughter has a broken collarbone, and his two-year-old daughter sustained spleen injuries. Four children were transported by ambulance to Atrium Health Floyd in Rome, Georgia, while three others were flown to Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham.
Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency Director Shawn Rogers confirmed that none of the nine passengers in the family’s ATV were wearing safety harnesses or restraints at the time of the crash. The Cherokee County officials emphasized that while the park has safety rules requiring seat belts and harnesses, enforcement relies on personal responsibility.
Rogers stated that “there’s nothing that says that everybody that gets in a side-by-side has to be restrained.” He added that personal responsibility must be taken to ensure safety for both the driver and passengers in their care.
The two occupants of the second ATV were not injured and attempted to provide assistance after the crash. The sheriff’s office is awaiting toxicology results to determine if alcohol was a factor, though possession of alcohol outside municipalities is illegal in Cherokee County, which has been dry since Prohibition.
The crash occurred in a remote section of the park, making it challenging for first responders to access the scene. Park staff had to escort emergency personnel to the location. Despite the difficult terrain and communication challenges due to limited cell service, first responders arrived within 18 minutes of being dispatched.
Family members described Ragland as a father of 10 children who lived life to the fullest. His mother, Felecia Towers, expressed her grief over the loss. Ragland’s older sister, Lakeisha Floyd, characterized her brother as someone who believed life was for living. Family friends remembered Hawkins as having a sweet soul and always being in a positive mood.
Audrey Dunn, who has two children with Ragland and is pregnant with another, learned about the accident through social media. Her one-year-old and five-year-old children were among those injured in the crash. Dunn reported that her one-year-old is limping and has facial injuries, while her other child sustained a head injury but is recovering.
Indian Mountain ATV Park spans more than 4,700 acres in the Appalachian Mountain range and bills itself as one of the largest private off-road parks in the South. The park offers trail riding, camping, fishing and hiking activities.
Multiple agencies responded to the incident, including the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Spring Garden Fire, Floyd EMS, Piedmont Rescue and Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency. The sheriff’s office is leading the investigation into the crash.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been established to help support the surviving children and their caregivers. According to the fundraiser, Ragland had two additional children on the way at the time of his death.
