Underhill dies from 4-wheeler crash injuries
A Hill Street resident succumbed to injuries hours after her four-wheeler crashed and overturned near her home Thursday evening.
The victim, Denise Wanamaker Underhill, 42, died early Friday afternoon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she had been airlifted the night before.
Underhill suffered the grave injuries just after 7 p.m. Thursday while riding a Polaris 700 four-wheeler less than a block from her home. According to accident reports, Underhill was riding the all-terrain vehicle on Walnut Street, located near downtown, when she lost control causing the four-wheeler to roll over. The mother of two was ejected from the four-wheeler, which reportedly rolled on top of her and caused the fatal injuries. Police say Underhill was not wearing a helmet.
Emergency crews found Underhill without a pulse when they arrived but were able to revive her after performing CPR. She was then airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter and remained under treatment at Vanderbilt until her death.
Police note the fatal four-wheeler crash is the first of its type they can remember in the city limits. While riding a four-wheeler on a public street is a ticketable offense, use of the ATVs on roads in outlying regions of the county is common. However, lawmen say they have very few run-ins with four-wheeler riders in the city limits.
The last four-wheeler death in Warren County was in January, 2004 in an accident on Harrison Ferry Mountain.