Crash kills boy practicing for ATV race

SACIER, Miss. - A four wheeler accident over the weekend claimed the life of a teenager in Northwestern Walton County. Just after noon Saturday, 14-year-old Christian Pierce of Saucier, Mississippi died at the Walton County Motor Cross track on Long Road outside of Laurel Hill.

Witnesses tell Walton County Sheriff’s Deputies that Pierce was killed when the four wheeler he was riding landed on his head. Christian was practicing for a race on Sunday.

Deputies say Christian became airborne after coming up the first hill. He traveled through the air while still on the four wheeler, over the second hill where he flew over the handle bars, and out in front of the ATV before hitting the ground. The four wheeler then landed on Christian’s head, splitting his helmet from the front all the way to the back.

The teenager was Life Flighted to North Okaloosa Medical Center in Crestview. He was pronounced dead at 1:34 that afternoon.

The four wheeler is a 2006 Suzuki L, and owned by a resident out of Saucier, Mississippi. The ATV is being held by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office as part of the investigation into the deadly crash.