Eight agencies respond to reported Mahnomen County ATV crash with injuries, no crash site located after 10-hour search

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Mahnomen County emergency dispatchers received a report of an ATV crash with severe, possibly fatal, injuries on Sunday morning, however, when first responders arrived at the scene, no accident site could be found and the caller would not return calls made by dispatchers.

In a news release, the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office stated they received the call at 5:30 a.m. on Oct. 1 from a party who said there was an ATV accident at the dead end of the Roy Lake Campground road, near Naytahwausch; the victim was bleeding from the head; and they could not find a pulse.

The caller then informed dispatch they had an active warrant and they did not want to identify themselves. They hung up and refused return calls.

First responders from eight different agencies responded to the scene and searches were performed on-foot, by drone and MN State Patrol helicopter until about 3:30 p.m., 10 hours after the initial emergency call.

The first responders ended up covering a 5-mile search radius and no evidence of a crash, like skid marks, dried blood, or gouges in the sand, were located.

Law enforcement also talked with several residents who lived nearby and no one saw any ATV traffic during the time of the alleged crash.

Investigators determined the cell phone used to make the emergency call did not have an active cell plan and must have been using Wi-Fi to make the call. They also determined the caller was not likely at Roy Lake when the call was made.

First responders and law enforcement determined the crash report was not credible, but are encouraging lakes area residents to check on family and friends if they were known to have been riding ATV in the area and to report any missing persons immediately.