Utah Family Mourns Death Of Father Killed In ATV Crash
Nov 15, 2019, 9:45 PM | Updated: 10:24 pm
LOGAN, Utah — Members of a Utah family are mourning the loss of a 35-year-old father who died instantly in an ATV accident earlier this week but said they’re grateful for what they consider to be a miracle — the survival of the man’s 6-year-old son.
On Sunday, Core Pimentel riding an ATV with his 6-year-old son on the Shoshone Trail in the Herd Hollow area of Cache County, between Logan and Blacksmith Fork Canyon.
At some point, Pimentel lost control of the ATV, crashed down a 30-foot-embankment and suffered fatal head injuries, according to Utah State Parks Lieutenant Eric Stucki.
However, Pimentel’s son somehow walked away with only a few scrapes.
“I knew something was wrong and it was not very good news,” said Stephanie Amaya, Pimentel’s sister.
Pimentel’s family received the news Sunday.
Core’s body was found by friends he was riding with a short time later and it appears no one witnessed what happened.
“He was wearing a helmet, his son was wearing a helmet,” Amaya said.
Authorities said there is no clear explanation of what may have gone wrong and family members said Pimentel was an experienced rider and knew the trails well.
“He went down there every weekend,” Amaya said.
Stephanie’s mother, Maria Amaya, said she has lost four family members this year, including Pimentel’s oldest brother.
Family members said Pimentel had stepped up to the role of big brother, making sure his mother was doing okay and doing his best to cheer her up.
“He’s the type that you can be sad, you can be down, he always had something to make you smile and laugh,” Stephanie Amaya said.
While family members may never know what happened, they said they will hold onto the belief that Core died trying to protect his son.
“For his son to not have gotten hurt and only have a couple of scrapes…and for him to be gone, it’s a miracle,” Amaya said. “It really is.”
A GoFundMe account* has been established to help cover Pimentel’s funeral expenses.
*KSL TV does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
