> At a Glance
> – A 15-year-old boy, Truett Mortensen, died after being ejected and pinned beneath an overturned ATV on January 3 at 12:00 p.m.
> – A 14-year-old girl was driving the Polaris Ranger Crew too fast on Kent County Road 438; she and a 7-year-old passenger escaped injury
> – None of the three occupants were wearing seatbelts
> – Why it matters: A community now mourns a life cut short while underscoring the lethal risks of unbelted off-road riding
A Saturday afternoon ride turned fatal when an ATV carrying three unbelted youngsters flipped on a rural Texas curve, killing front-seat passenger Truett Mortensen and sparing the other two children.
The Crash
The Texas Department of Public Safety says the Polaris Ranger Crew was traveling eastbound on Kent County Road 438, a quarter-mile east of State Highway 70, when the 14-year-old driver took the curve at excessive speed and rolled the vehicle.
Mortensen, 15, of Tahoka, was thrown from the ATV and crushed beneath it. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at Fisher County Hospital at 2:43 p.m.
Survivors & Safety
- The 14-year-old driver from New Home walked away uninjured
- A 7-year-old male passenger from New Home also escaped harm
- Investigators confirmed no seatbelts were in use by any occupant
Community Tribute
The New Home Independent School District posted a memorial on Facebook:
Superintendent Julia Stephen wrote:
> “Truett exemplified what it meant to be a Leopard. He was kind, spirited, hard-working, and had a genuine love for life and for the people around him.”
Stephen added that grief counselors will be on campus when students return from winter break and asked the community to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers.
Key Takeaways
- Speed and lack of restraints proved deadly in the rollover
- A single-vehicle crash claimed one life while two minors survived
- School officials emphasized Mortensen’s positive impact on peers and staff
The district closed its statement by urging everyone to “lean on our Leopard family” as the town begins 2026 grappling with the loss of a well-liked student.
