ATV driver now facing criminal charges

The driver of an all-terrain vehicle that crashed and injured a Summerville teen last month faces a criminal charge after investigators determined she had marijuana and prescription drugs in her system at the time of the wreck, police said today.

Investigator arrested the driver, 32-year-old Katrina Elsworth, today on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She was released on a $3,000 bond, police Capt. Jon Rogers said.

Kayla Beczynski, 15, was left paralyzed May 16 when she and Ellsworth were thrown from a fast-moving ATV that crashed in a wooded area near the Sawmill Branch Trail north of Luden Drive. Beczynski was a passenger on the ATV, which was designed for a single rider. Neither Elsworth nor Beczynski wore a helmet, according to an arrest affidavit.

Beczynski remains hospitalized, authorities said. Elsworth reportedly received minor injuries.

Ellsworth told police she took two prescription medications prior to the ride. She said she had taken Adderall, a stimulant commonly used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Diazepam, a sedative used as anti-anxiety medicine, authorities said.

Tests determined Ellsworth had marijuana, an amphetamine and Benzodiazepine in her blood, according to an arrest affidavit.

Beczynski's mother, Carrie Rhymer, told police she didn't know her daughter was riding the ATV with Elsworth.

The wreck occurred as state legislators were considering a bill that would set restrictions on ATV use.

The measure is dubbed "Chandler's Law," after a 16-year-old boy who was killed in an ATV accident in May 2003. Some 44 states across the nation have ATV safety laws.

The bill would bar children younger than 6 from driving an ATV and limit the engine power for drivers between 6 and 16 years old. The measure would require youths 15 and under to wear safety glasses and helmets while driving or riding on an ATV. Operators 15 and younger also would have to complete a safety course.

The proposal also would bar anyone from operating an ATV in a reckless manner or under the influence of alcohol or other controlled substances.

Gov. Mark Sanford has twice vetoed ATV safety legislation, saying the measures would infringe on property rights and personal freedoms. Sanford also criticized safety courses as a hidden tax on families.

In South Carolina, more than 100 people died in ATV crashes between 1982 and 2007, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Of those who died, 28 were children younger than 16, authorities said.

Saturday's crash reportedly occurred about 7 p.m. as Elsworth was trying to avoid a muddy spot along a trail. She told police she had been stuck in the spot before and swerved to avoid it. The 15-foot embankment gave way, sending the ATV into an adjacent canal, where it came to rest in a foot or so of water, according to a police report.

Witnesses told police the ATV was "going way too fast" before it plunged into the canal. Elsworth's husband later remarked to police that the ATV was in fourth gear when he inspected it after the crash, a report stated.

Katrina Elsworth told officers that Beczynski was not moving after the crash and was turning blue, with blood coming from her mouth and nose. Elsworth had some scratches on her neck but no other visible injuries, police said.