Tragic ATV Rollover Kills Mother and Young Daughter in Wellsville

A 38-year-old mother and her 6-year-old daughter died after an ATV overturned in an Allegany County pasture; a 3-year-old child survived.*

WELLSVILLE, N.Y. — A fatal ATV rollover in western New York killed a 38-year-old mother and her 6-year-old daughter Thursday afternoon, while a 3-year-old child survived with injuries that police said were not life-threatening.

New York State Police said troopers from the Amity barracks responded at approximately 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, to Niles Hill Road in the town of Wellsville after receiving a report of an ATV rollover with possible fatalities.

Police identified the operator as Ashley R. Robichaud, 38, of Wellsville. Her two children, ages 6 and 3, were riding with her on a 2003 Polaris Trail Boss four-wheeler.

The crash remains under investigation.

What Police Say Happened

According to the State Police investigation, Robichaud and her children were traveling along a fence line in a pasture when the ATV reached what police described as the lowest elevation in the field.

The Polaris then overturned.

Robichaud and her 6-year-old daughter, Emersyn E. Robichaud, were pinned beneath the ATV, State Police said.

The State Police news release characterized the incident as a fatal rollover. A local Wellsville news report also reported that the mother and daughter died in the crash.

The family’s 3-year-old child was transported by Mercy Flight to Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester.

State Police described the child’s injuries as non-life-threatening.

Police had not released additional information about the child’s condition as of Friday morning.

Specialized State Police Units Join Investigation

The New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit and Bureau of Criminal Investigation are assisting with the investigation.

State Police emphasized that the case remains active.

Authorities had not publicly announced what caused the ATV to overturn or whether speed, mechanical problems, terrain or another factor contributed to the crash.

There was also no information in the initial State Police release about whether the riders were wearing helmets.

Those details should not be assumed until investigators release additional findings.

ATV Rollovers Can Be Deadly

Thursday’s tragedy highlights the risks associated with all-terrain vehicles, particularly when a vehicle overturns.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says ATV crashes result in more than 700 deaths and approximately 100,000 injuries each year, based on its most recent figures cited in its ATV safety materials.

ATV rollovers can be especially dangerous because riders may be thrown from a machine or trapped beneath it.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says many ATV deaths and injuries occur when riders lose control, overturn the vehicle, strike another object or are thrown from the machine.

Federal safety officials recommend several precautions:

• Always wear a U.S. Department of Transportation-approved helmet and protective clothing.
• Never carry more passengers than an ATV was designed to hold.
• Keep children off adult-sized ATVs.
• Use age-appropriate youth models for riders younger than 16.
• Stay off paved roads except where crossing is legally permitted.
• Complete hands-on ATV safety training.
• Never operate an ATV while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

CPSC specifically advises that children younger than 6 should never ride an ATV as either a driver or passenger.

That federal recommendation is presented here as general safety information. State Police have not alleged that any safety violation caused Thursday’s Wellsville crash.

What New York Law Requires

New York also regulates ATV operation.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles says every ATV operator and passenger must wear a U.S. Department of Transportation-approved helmet.

New York law also prohibits carrying a passenger unless the ATV is designed to carry one.

State law allows some ATV use by children, although restrictions depend upon the rider’s age, supervision and where the vehicle is being operated.

Children under 14 may operate an ATV only while supervised by an adult or, under certain circumstances, on property owned or leased by a parent or guardian.

Again, State Police have not said whether any of those provisions played a role in this crash.

Investigators have not released information about the seating capacity or passenger specifications of the particular 2003 Polaris involved.

A Family Tragedy in Wellsville

For the Wellsville community, the statistics are secondary to the human loss.

A routine ride through a pasture ended with a mother and young daughter dead and another young child flown to a children’s hospital.

The State Police investigation will attempt to establish how and why the ATV overturned.

Until that work is completed, conclusions about responsibility or the precise cause would be premature.

What is known is that two lives were lost within moments.

The tragedy also offers families who own ATVs an opportunity to review how the machines are being used, particularly when children are involved.

Federal safety officials stress that ATVs are not simply smaller versions of automobiles. Their stability, steering and rider movements are different, and their off-road design creates hazards that require training and caution.

CPSC warns that passengers can make some ATVs harder to control because the driver needs freedom to shift body weight while steering. Most ATVs are designed for a single rider, although some models are specifically manufactured for a passenger.

Investigation Remains Active

New York State Police had not announced any additional findings as of Friday morning.

The investigation is being handled by State Police with assistance from the Collision Reconstruction Unit and Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Anyone relying on early reports should be careful not to speculate about what caused the rollover until investigators release their findings.

For families who use ATVs, meanwhile, safety experts recommend checking the manufacturer’s passenger and age restrictions, requiring helmets and protective gear, and making sure riders receive hands-on training before operating the vehicle.

The deaths of Ashley and Emersyn Robichaud are a painful reminder that an ATV outing can turn deadly in seconds.

As investigators work to determine exactly what happened on Niles Hill Road, the most responsible response is both simple and important: allow the evidence to establish the cause, support the surviving family and make safety part of every ATV ride.

SOURCES

• New York State Police — Aug. 6, 2026, “Mother and child fatal ATV rollover.”
• New York State Department of Motor Vehicles — ATV owner and operator rules and safety guidance.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission — ATV safety recommendations and injury information.