Carbon County Sheriff’s Department was busy on Sunday when a Deputy stopped at the intersection of Spring Glen Road and Highway 6 to move some debris off the road as it could have caused an auto accident got more than he bargained for, along with two other deputies who came to the aid of the original Deputy on the scene.

“We ended up having our HAZMAT Team come out and they isolated the area and they took the object off the road but we really don’t know what that is,” said Carbon County Sheriff Jeff Wood. “The first preliminary test they thought it was CS Gas which is not toxic to humans. That’s what they would use as a grenade that they would use in a raid as a SWAT hit. But now they are saying that is not what it is, so we are still investigating that further and looking into it.” Final results from the investigation will be shared with community members as they come in.

Easter weekend always makes for a busy weekend for the Sheriff’s department because most residents in Carbon and Emery Counties will make a trek out to the desert, to areas like the San Rafael (Ra-fell) Swell, Buckhorn and Cedar Mountain as their first camping trip of the year. “You know there is going to be a lot of people out on the desert this weekend, I think the weather is going to be favorable and the campers are going to be out. So when you are on your ATV/UTVs be aware of your surroundings,” stated Wood. Community members out camping and riding their ATVs/UTVs are urged to practice safety during the holiday weekend, because traffic on trails and roads are extremely busy than usual.

Riders/Passengers under the age 16 years old need to remember to wear helmets always. Operators of ATVs/UTVs are advised to not carry more than the required passengers for their machine to prevent offsetting the balance with more riders could cause a wreck. Wood added, “Know our limits when riding your ATV, you know don’t climb hills that are too steep or go too fast on corners that you can’t negotiate around. Just make sure that you aren’t riding above your limit. Wear your helmets if you are under 16, you have to wear a helmet. Kids under the age of 16 on Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service also have to have a UTV/ATV Safety Course Certificate to ride.” Parents should make sure that they are supervising their children while operating a machine and that the appropriate size of machine fits the child’s needs.

The most common causes of injuries are people not wearing their seatbelts while riding UTV. Most UTVs are generally made to hold up in a roll over because of the roll cages that will hold up especially if the drivers and passengers have their seatbelts on.

From everyone at the Carbon County Sheriff’s Department Happy Easter and stay safe.