Ferndale teen dies following dirt bike crash during Hannegan Speedway races
A Ferndale teen died from injuries sustained during a crash at his first motocross race at Hannegan Speedway in Bellingham, according to the Mount Baker Motorcycle Club.
Emergency crews responded to the racetrack at about 7:15 p.m. Thursday, May 16 to assist Owen Morton, 14, at the landing area of a jump. His injuries indicated he had been struck by multiple other riders who were behind him, Bellingham Fire Captain Dustin Michaelis told The Bellingham Herald.
A private emergency medical service crew that was already at the track before the crash started life-saving efforts, Michaelis said, and members of the Bellingham Fire Department took over when they arrived at the scene.
Morton was originally taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, but was subsequently flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Despite hours of surgery, Morton died on the morning of May 17.
“Owen, 14, was a kind-hearted, smart, witty, all-around amazing kid,” says a message on a GoFundMe account page, which was established by Kimberly Nichols of Ferndale. “Dirt biking and music were two of his passions. He spent a lot of his time riding his bike and working on his motorcycles and small engines. He loved rocking out on his drums and hanging out with his friends. If Owen was near, you were smiling or laughing.”
The Mount Baker Motorcycle Club stated in a social media post they are working on a project to honor Morton and told The Herald they will release more information later this week.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $40,000 toward a goal of $75,000.
This story was originally published May 21, 2024 at 1:55 PM.
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