14-year-old killed in Neoga ATV accident

NEOGA, Ill. (WCIA) — A 14-year-old boy from Neoga has died after an ATV accident Monday afternoon.

Greg Epperson, the Deputy Coroner of Coles County, confirmed with WCIA that Graydon Mendenhall was seriously hurt in an accident on his family’s property around noon. After turning a corner too fast, Mendenhall fell off of the ATV and it landed on top of him.

The teenager was taken to Sarah Bush Lincoln Medical center in Mattoon, where he was pronounced dead at 1:52 p.m.

Epperson added that the accident was witnessed by Mendenhall’s mother and stepfather, who bought the ATV the night before. He said Mendenhall had experience riding ATVs but was advised to take it easy on the new ATV, which Epperson said was bigger than what Mendenhall was used to. He had been riding the ATV for about an hour before the accident.

Neoga Community Unit School District 3, where Mendenhall was a student, addressed the tragedy on their social media, saying “the loss of a student is our biggest fear, and one that no one can fully prepare for.”

“We are saddened by the loss to our school community and will make every effort to help you and your child as you need,” school officials added. “Please continue to keep the family and our Neoga community in your thoughts and prayers.”

Officials said the district’s special education cooperative, EIASE, has a crisis team that will be available for students need of counseling and support following Mendenhall’s death. They’ll be at the elementary school library on Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m.

A GoFundMe has been set up to support Mendenhall’s family and pay for his funeral expenses. The fundraiser reached its original goal of $10,000 by noon on Tuesday.

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