File Photo: The Hot Well Dunes is a nationally-known recreation area.
By Jon Johnson
GRAHAM COUNTY – A 15-year-old dirt bike rider was flown to Banner-University Medical Center Tucson on Saturday afternoon after crashing while riding a dirt bike at the Hot Well Dunes Recreation area southeast of Safford.
The area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and it is a popular off-roading location. According to the BLM, “the sands at the Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area were a beach surrounding a lake approximately two million years ago. What remains today is one of the most unique recreation spots in Arizona. Hot Well Dunes provides the opportunity to ride 2,000 acres of sand dunes, set up a camp, and then soak in relaxing hot tubs, all in the same location.”
It was the rugged location that led to a delay in emergency medical assistance for the injured rider, as both an ambulance and a deputy’s vehicle got stuck.
Locating the patient was an issue at first as well, however, ATV riders in the area led a deputy to where the dirt bike rider was lying injured on the sand. The deputy then sent the ATV riders back to bring additional EMS workers to the scene.
The injured rider was lying down unable to move, according to the deputy’s report, but he was conscious and said the dirt bike’s throttle became stuck and led to the crash. The deputy later learned that the 450cc dirt bike had been recently purchased a few months ago and did not yet have registration or insurance.
The victim was placed on a backboard and transported via a deputy’s patrol vehicle to an Air Evac landing scene on Haekle Road. He was then loaded into the helicopter and flown to Tucson.
