STUTSMAN COUNTY, ND — A Fargo man died in a UTV rollover in Stutsman County after deputies responded to the Pelican Point Recreational area on Oct. 21, according to the Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Chad Kaiser said 35-year-old Trevor Doering was found partially ejected from the driver’s side window, with the UTV partly on top of him. Deputies pronounced him dead at the scene.
Authorities said the passenger, 39-year-old Mathew High of Babbitt, Minnesota, was able to exit the vehicle and call for help.
Deputies found the driver partly trapped under the UTV
Kaiser said the rollover happened in the Pelican Point Recreational area, but officials did not immediately release more details about exactly how the crash occurred.
When deputies arrived, they found Doering pinned in part by the vehicle and partially outside the driver’s door window. The position of the UTV suggested a serious rollover impact.
The sheriff’s office said Doering died before he could be taken for medical treatment.
Passenger was able to get out and call for help
High, the passenger, made it out of the UTV after the rollover and contacted authorities, according to the sheriff’s office. His ability to leave the scene helped bring emergency responders to the area quickly.
Officials did not say whether High was injured. They also did not say which direction the UTV was traveling or whether the vehicle struck anything before rolling over.
The sheriff’s office has not released any further information about the condition of the recreational area road or trail where the crash happened.
Investigators say no seatbelts were worn
Deputies said neither occupant was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the rollover. That detail was included in the sheriff’s office account of the crash and may be part of the investigation into the fatality.
Officials also said alcohol may have been a factor. They did not say whether toxicology testing had been completed or provide any additional details about possible impairment.
The sheriff’s office has not announced any charges or citations connected to the crash.
Several agencies helped at the crash scene
The Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office received assistance from the North Dakota Highway Patrol, Jamestown Ambulance and the Jamestown Rural Fire Department.
Those agencies responded to support scene control and emergency aid after the rollover. No additional information was immediately released about how long the scene remained active.
Doering’s death adds to the long list of UTV and off-road vehicle crashes that can turn deadly when occupants are thrown or partially ejected from the vehicle.
Pelican Point incident highlights the risks of off-road rollovers
Off-road vehicles can be especially dangerous in rollover crashes because occupants are exposed if they are not restrained. In this case, deputies said the lack of seatbelts and possible alcohol use were both factors they were considering.
The sheriff’s office has not said whether the crash is still under investigation, but the fatality was reported as a single-vehicle rollover in a recreational area outside Jamestown.
For Stutsman County officials, the focus now remains on documenting what happened and determining the circumstances that led to the death of the Fargo man.