2 adults charged in ATV crash that killed 4-year-old Somerset girl

Two adults were charged Friday with endangering the welfare of children and traffic violations for allegedly allowing a 14-year-old to drive an all-terrain vehicle that overturned at a Somerset County railroad crossing with four children aboard, killing a 4-year-old girl.

State police have obtained warrants for the arrests of Bradley L. Felker, 28, of Meyersdale, the father of Tailynn Felker, who died in the crash, and Stacy Dee Felker, 40, of Summit, the mother of the teen who was driving, according to online court records.

Stacy Dee Felker, who owns the ATV, is Bradley Felker's aunt, police said.

It could not immediately be determined whether the 14-year-old has been charged in juvenile court. Trooper Todd Sherle of the Somerset barracks, who filed the criminal complaints, couldn't be reached Friday.

None of the five aboard the ATV was wearing a helmet or seat belt, police said.

The two Felkers are charged with five felony counts each of endangering the welfare of children and 14 traffic counts, including failing to report an accident, allowing the unlawful operation of a motor vehicle by a juvenile and unlawfully permitting minors to ride aboard the vehicle without helmets.

The charges were filed shortly after Tailynn Felker's funeral Friday.

She and three other children — age 1, 3 and 9 — were passengers on a 2014 Polaris 500 driven by the 14-year-old that overturned at a CSX railroad crossing in Summit, about 2 miles northeast of Meyersdale, police said.

Two of the other children were Tailynn's sisters and the 1-year-old is the driver's brother, police said. The names of the four others haven't been released.

Tailynn Felker was thrown off the ATV when it rolled over, police said. She died of multiple blunt-force injuries, according to Coroner Wallace Miller.

She and the three other injured children were taken to Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center in private vehicles, police said.

Neither of the Felkers notified police of the accident, the trooper reported in the affidavit of probable cause filed with Meyersdale District Judge Douglas Bell. Authorities were notified about the fatal accident by hospital officials.

“Unfortunately, the ... 4-year-old had been deceased prior to making it to the hospital,” Sherle wrote.

Sherle said when he interviewed the 14-year-old at the hospital, she told him she was holding her 1-year-old brother under her left arm, steering with her right arm and braking with her foot while winding down Scratch Hill Road.

As the ATV hit the railroad crossing, the teen told Sherle, “... It went airborne, and when it came down on the front wheels it rolled over and everyone got hurt.”

Sherle said the teen, who was not licensed, repeatedly told him, “I was only going 15 miles per hour.”

Stacy Felker told Sherle the children had repeatedly asked her if they could ride the ATV after school that day and she told them to “wait until Bradley Felker got home.”

When Bradley Felker arrived, “he permitted his children to ride the ATV with (the 14-year-old) operator. The operator had mentioned they ride the ATV all the time with everyone on the ATV like this evening. ... They ride it from their residence down to a friend's house and back,” Sherle wrote.

Sherle noted that the ATV carries numerous warning labels including “never carry more than one passenger,” “head gear required,” “not to be operated on paved surfaces” “not to be operated without training” and “no operation under 16 years old.”

Police allege Stacy Felker allowed the ATV registration to expire July 5, and the teen was illegally permitted to drive on a township road.

One of the Felker's relatives said she frequently saw children riding the ATV without helmets or seat belts over the summer.

Kathryn White, 63, who lives across the road from Stacy Felker, said she considered calling police every time she watched the ATV pass by.

“You just knew something bad would eventually happen, and unfortunately it did ... a 4-year-old girl tragically lost her life. It's a terrible shame, and it shouldn't have happened,” White said.

Under state law, a 14-year-old isn't permitted to drive the vehicle on public roads without certification and adult supervision, a spokeswoman for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said earlier this week.

White said the other children injured have been released from the hospital. “The 14-year-old drove the ATV back up here to her home after the accident,” she said.

“I know I'm going to be in trouble with my relatives for speaking out, but I think somebody had to say something about it,” White said. “It would have been different if they had stayed in their yard, but they were permitted to drive out onto the road — without helmets.”

White said she often saw the teen driver “hold the 1-year-old in one arm and steer with the other and have the other children riding behind her. It was going on all summer. ... And none of them ever had a helmet on.”

White said she considered calling police when she saw the children riding the ATV but was concerned about “straining family ties.”

“I'm truly sorry I did not call police,” she said. “But I feel somebody needs to speak out about it.”

An attorney wasn't listed in court records for either Felker.

Earlier this week, a woman who answered the door at Stacy Felker's home said the family had no comment. “The family can use your prayers right now,” she said.

Paul Peirce is a reporter for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-850-2860 or ppeirce@tribweb.com.