By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Those who choose to cut fences and ride ATVs (all
terrain vehicles) on the East Bench of Nephi will be
ticketed and fined.
Parents might also be aware, and warn their children,
that evading a law enforcement officer has serious
consequences.
David Carter, Juab County Sheriff, said that the
property was all privately owned by the Bailey, Winn, and
Jackson families who are suffering serious monetary losses
each year because others do not respect their property
rights.
Some of the ATV riders have thought it was cleaver to
out-run officers.
"We are in trucks and they are able to go places we
cannot and get away from us," he said.
That will no longer happen. Carter said the area will
now be patrolled by sheriff's deputies and by officers of
the Juab Search and Rescue Patrol. They will all be on
ATVs.
In fact, one of the ATVs the county owns was seized at
the Little Sahara Sand Dunes and is now the property of the
sheriff's office.
That can happen to anyone who is evading the law.
"That is part of the evading law," said Carter, "we
can seize and keep the vehicle."
Cattle owners should not be required to accept the
burden of repairing fences and retrieving cattle because
others are lawbreakers, Carter said. He said these cattlemen
were losing thousands of dollars each year because of the
thoughtlessness of ATV users.
"The land, from the golf course past "J" hill, belongs
to private property owners who have cattle there," said
Carter. "We are having a real problem with those who cut
fences in that area. The cattlemen can't keep the fences
up."
As a result, cattle wander down from the hills to the
golf course, to homes and yards and destroy flowers, lawns
and gardens, he said.
"They also create a driving hazard when they cross
roads," said Carter. "If a motorist were to hit an animal of
that size, the resulting accident could cause a human
death."
Carter said law enforcement officers had tried
patrolling, had tried warning, and had tried talking to
those who are riding in that area on ATVs. The problem has
escalated, not diminished, and officers will no longer
tolerate the problem.
"I regret that it has to come to this," said Carter.
"We have tried other means and it just hasn't worked. Now we
are going to issue tickets to ATV drivers for violations and
will fine those who are found breaking the law."
Carter said he was requesting the aid of parents in
making certain the members of their families understood the
consequences if they cut fences, even accidentally let
cattle out, and ride their ATVs where they should not.
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