Tehachapi News

Off-road expert deputy urges caution after mother-daughter fatalities at Jawbone

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Deputy Bill Hull of the Kern County Sheriff's Office Tehachapi Substation, who is trained to patrol on off-road vehicles as a member of the Sheriff's Off-Road Vehicle Team, said riders should wear safety gear always, and they never should ride above their ability or that of the vehicle.

During this time of year, he said, “There are thousands of [off-road] people in the desert.”

Among the thousands last week were Shellie Mazzei, 41, and her daughter Rayshelle Venegas, 16, of Clovis, who died in separate accidents when they tried to negotiate a steep slope Nov. 25 in their utility terrain vehicles, lost control were ejected from their vehicles.

At just before 2 p.m., the Sheriff's Office reported, the two “were each operating a Utlility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) in the Jawbone Canyon desert area. Both operators lost control of their UTVs down a steep 560-foot mountainside and were ejected from the UTVs. Both mother and daughter died at the scene as a result of their injuries.”

According to the Kern County Fire Department, “The persons were camping in the Dove Springs area when they went to the Jawbone Canyon Store. While en route back to the campground, one of the riders knew of a shortcut through the steep canyon. The first rider made it down to the bottom safely. The next two outdoor utility vehicles then attempted to traverse the canyon to the bottom when they lost control and rolled. The last outdoor utility vehicle [rider] saw what had occurred and stayed at the top. It was reported that no safety equipment was worn by the two outdoor utility vehicle [riders] and were ejected…”

The agencies said the vehicles were equipped with roll bars.

The California Highway Patrol is the investigating agency. Kern County Fire Department and Sheriff's Office responded in multiple numbers to the scene.

Kern County Fire Department Helicopter 408, based in Keene, was in the area for hoist training and was able to provide support from the air, the fire department information office said.

“Helicopter 408 utilized its crew for additional personnel to assist with the rescue while the helicopter contined to observe from the air due to the extremely steep terrain,” the fire department information office said.

Even if the vehicle has a cage or roll bar and the vehicle operating instructions do not insist, safety gear should be used.

“My recommendation,” said Deputy Hull, who did not work the Jawbone accidents, “is that even if the law dictates that you don't have to wear protective gear, do it for your own safety. It's treacherous terrain.”

Hull, who is an off-road instructor, said, “One of the things we teach is the need to wear safety equipment - helmet, gloves, elbow and knee pads.”

The UTVs like those involved in the Jawbone accidents, he said, “are all-terrain-type vehicles, not like quads or motorcycles. They are more like a small car, with a steering wheel. Two people can sit side by side in them.”

The bigger, bulkier or modified UTVs might pose a topple-over hazard in some terrain, he said.

“Don't drive beyond the vehicle's capabilities,” he said.

That goes for the driver's capabilities as well.

“People riding above their ability can hit rocks and get ejected,” Hull said. “Even with a helmet, they hit with such force it causes a fatality.”

Other obstacles include washes where the ground drops two or three feet and the driver is moving too fast to see it, he said.

While the Rand Mountains offer a labyrinth of public off-road trails on Bureau of Land Management government property, there are no public off-road riding areas in the Tehachapi valley and mountain area, Hull said.

“Almost all the property in this area is private,” Hull said. “By county ordinance you are not allowed to ride on private property without written permission from the owner and you must have it on you.”

That applies to seemingly derelict areas as the old Golden Hills Golf Course, he said.

People may ride on their own property, he said, but are not free to disturb neighbors.

“Neighbors can make a complaint to us about the noise and dust,” Hull said.

 “And they do.”