Youngsville man killed in ATV wreck

A Youngsville father believes his son's death was the result of another man's attempt to keep four-wheel drivers off his property.

Joshua Woodruff, 22, 203 William Pearce Way, died Sunday at WakeMed in Raleigh from internal injuries he suffered after driving a four-wheeler into a steel cable.

The accident happened Saturday evening off N.C. 98, just west of Bunn. The incident was reported to the Franklin County Sheriff's Department at 6:51 p.m., as the sun was going down. Dep. Robert Legnante investigated.

Woodruff was apparently coming from Floyd's Grocery at 2615 N.C. 98 West.

Woodruff's father, James Woodruff, said that when his son and a few other of his friends driving four-wheelers entered the path, there was no cable on the road. "When they were on their way back home, the cable was up and 'Josh' didn't see it."

He said his son was the first one to reach the cable and no one else was injured.

Lt. Nelson Ross of the sheriff's department said Woodruff must have been going pretty fast, but he could not give an exact speed he traveling. The cable was about two-and-one-half feet off the ground. Ross also did not know if Woodruff was wearing a helmet or not.

Woodruff was not supposed to be driving a four-wheeler on the property, according to Ross. He said the gravel path, at least a half mile long, belongs to Ted Arnold of 215 Jasper Barnette Road in Louisburg.

Arnold had put up no-trespassing signs at two entrances on the property. Arnold told deputies that he put a steel cable along the road to stop trucks from coming in and dumping trash on his land.

Ross said Arnold has a long history of problems with people dumping trash and riding all terrain vehicles on his land without his permission. He put up signs, fences, and a eventually the cable to prevent their activity, but was still unsuccessful.

Ross said Arnold has reported several trespassing incidents to the sheriff's department in the past three years. "They even tore one of his fences down," Ross said.

Roy Frazier, owner of Frazier's Store at the N.C. 96 and 98 intersection, said many of his farming friends have complained about people riding four-wheelers across their property and dumping trash. "That's what is happening all around here," he said.

Frazier said there are cables up everywhere, leaving few places for children to ride their three- and four-wheelers.

North Carolina law prohibits driving vehicles on private property without permission from the property owner.

Ross said Arnold did not do anything illegal by placing the steel cable in the road to protect his property. Ross also said no one will probably be charged in the case. "It appears to be just an unfortunate accident," he said.

James Woodruff said the trail is an old railroad track that is a shortcut many people in the area use to get to Floyd's Grocery store. His sons have been using it since they were about 7 years old. "I even used to ride on the path when I was younger," he said.

Woodruff said his family respects other people's property and would not trespass. "I'm a landowner myself," he added.

Joshua Woodruff graduated from Bunn High School. He was employed in the aerosol manufacturing department of Glaxo Wellcome in Zebulon.

James Woodruff said he hopes the incident will protect someone else's child in the future. "But my son is gone."