2 hurt in 4-wheeler accident in Austintown


By Elise Franco

efranco@vindy.com

Austintown

A four-wheeler accident at Harley-Davidson Biketown sent two men to the hospital.

Austintown firefighter Ray Harnevious said the department was called to 5700 Interstate Blvd. about 9:20 a.m. Friday.

The two men, whose names haven’t been released by the department, were test-driving a side-by-side four-wheeler in a field behind the store when it rolled over, Harnevious said.

Biketown owner Tom Wronkovich said the two men were employees who were pulling the vehicle around to the front of the store. He declined to give their names.

“They were supposed to just pull them around to the front, and they took a detour,” Wronkovich said. “It was poor judgment.”

He said a 39-year-old man from Austintown sustained serious injuries to his right arm and chest, and a 26-year-old man from Poland sustained minor head injuries. They were taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown. Their conditions were not available Friday afternoon.

“Neither man was wearing a helmet or a seat belt,” Harnevious said.

Wronkovich said the employees weren’t following proper procedure, and he wants to stress that customers who test-drive those vehicles always wear full safety gear, including leather gloves, helmet and a safety harness.