ODNRA Fatal Accident, May 29

CCSO release on May 23, 2020 at approximately 6:21 PM the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, Hauser Fire Department and Bay Cities Ambulance responded to a reported injury accident in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area (ODNRA). The accident occurred at the top of a dune called V8 Hill. The operator, Ivan Noriega, age 27, of Sacramento California and the passenger, Celmi Santos Lopez, age 25, of Sacramento California, were riding in a rental Polaris XP 1000 (Class IV ATV, side-by-side). They were southbound at high speed, cresting the top of the hill, when Ivan lost control of the vehicle and flipped it several times end over end. The passenger, Celmi Santos Lopez was ejected from the vehicle because she was not wearing her seatbelt. Celmi also lost her helmet in the crash. At about 6:26 PM Coos County Sheriff’s Office personnel arrived on scene. CPR was being conducted by persons on scene. Hauser Fire and Bay Cities Ambulance arrived and took over CPR. After several minutes, Celmi was pronounced dead on scene. Ivan Noriega was uninjured in the accident.