Festival goers in Mattawa hit by ATV

A mother is speaking out about her safety concerns following an incident that took place at the Smoke ‘N’ Spurs event in Mattawa over the long weekend.

Melissa Pye said the incident involved an ATV striking her, her 11-year-old son, as well as three other festival goers during the mud bog racing event on Aug. 31.

“It’s such a blur -- it is crazy,” Pye said.

“I’ve been in situations like that, you know, with myself being in that high-adrenaline, high-stress environment and with accidents. But when it’s your own child, it’s a lot different. Especially when somebody is yelling that he got run over.”

She and her son were standing by a fence because the bleachers were full. An ATV coming out of the mud ran through the fence, striking five people, causing minor injuries.

First responders acted quickly and they were all brought to hospital as a precaution. Her son was put in an Air Cast for his ankle, while her leg was badly bruised.

Pye said she spoke with the driver of the ATV and has no hard feelings.

“She’s a very sweet woman,” Pye said.

“She’s a mother … as well and she wants to give her heartwarming apology to everyone out there. Nobody here is to blame -- it’s an accident (and) accidents happen.”

“It’s a good thing that nobody actually seriously got injured,” Pye added.

CTV News reached out to event organizers but was told they did not want to appear on camera. Instead, a statement was provided via a Facebook post.

It said, in part, “all drivers, including the driver of the ATV in the collision, passed a breathalyzer test before (competing in) the event. Our team put in place new safety protocols promptly that allowed the show to go on! The safety of our guests is always our top priority and we’re proud of how quickly everyone worked together to ensure a safe outcome.”

Pye said she and her son are recovering from their injuries, adding that she still hasn’t received an apology from organizers.

She hopes that by speaking out, improved safety measures will be taken at future events.